Comic Coverage

Top 10 Comic Book ROBOTS (Part One)

I know what you're thinking: "When's Mark going to create those 'Top 10' lists all the cool blogs are doing?"

Well...how about RIGHT NOW??!! Great, so here's the deal: every now and then, I'll post ten favorites from whichever random category I feel like blathering about. What better category to start out with than

 

Yup...robots.  I've been a fan of 'em as long as I can remember...which makes it tough to narrow the list down to just ten. Now, they're not necessarily the most high-profile comic book robots...and one even crosses the line into cyborg territory, but in their own way, each of them is visually and conceptually riveting (pun fully intended).

The Dreadnought: Created by the international terrorist organization HYDRA, these 8-foot tall robots were programmed for intense hand-to-hand combat and armed with a staggering array of weaponry. Designed by Jim Steranko (who was obviously channeling Jack Kirby), the multiple spikes, battleship-gray color, and eerie, skull-like face made for a picture-perfect killing machine (click on it for a larger view).

The Metal Men: Part of DC's parade of quirky 1960's heroes, this team of robots was created by Dr. Will Magnus to mirror the properties and "personalities" of their namesake metals. Left to right: confident team leader Gold, genial yet slow-witted Lead, boisterous strongman Iron, hot-headed Mercury, and timid Tin. In the foreground is the female robot Platinum ("Tina" for short), and Metal Men creator Doc Magnus. Remembered best for their wild, body-bending teamwork, the Metal Men remain a source of lighthearted Silver Age fun.

Raydeen (Shogun Warriors): As my introduction to Japan's giant robot Mecha Anime genre, the 24" Shogun Warriors were the toys every pre-teen boy had to have in the late 1970's. Although my personal favorite was Mazinga, a close second was Raydeen, who co-starred with Combatra and Dangard Ace in Marvel's Shogun Warriors comic book series.

Deathlok: When The Six Million Dollar Man TV series introduced America to the half-human, half-machine Steve Austin in early 1974, illustrator Rich Buckler took the bionic warrior concept into a much darker direction with his creation of Deathlok. Barely alive in a bleak post-Apocalyptic America, Colonel Luther Manning was revived as a hideous cyborg assassin who later resisted his programming and fought against the military-corporate complex that once controlled him.  Sound a bit like the 1987 Robocop movie? Yeah...I thought so, too.

Pneumatic Man (a.k.a. "Pneuman"): Built by 19th century inventor Sinclair Strong while marooned on a Pacific island, Pneuman became the butler of the Strong family. Sporting a bow tie, derby hat, and a stuttering pop-hissing speech pattern, the steam-powered robot still faithfully serves their son Tom Strong some one hundred years later.

That's all I've got time for now. Stay tuned for Part Two, where I'll finish off my Top Ten Comic Book Robots!

Top 10 Comic Book ROBOTS (Part Two)

I'm sure the suspense has been killing you since
Part One, so here's the final five of my 

  

The Bat-Sentry: A cross between the forever-cool Batmobile of the early 1940's and a Transformer, the Bat-Sentry robots appeared in the alternate future of DC's Kingdom Come (1996). With his body battered and broken from his Batman career, Bruce Wayne built an army of these imposing robots to patrol the virtually crime-free streets of Gotham City in his stead. For a better look at the detail of Alex Ross' fantastic design work, click here to view Jin Saotome's custom Bat-Sentry he created for Wizard Magazine a few years back. 

The Vision: Stretching the traditional definition of a "robot", the Vision has often been classified as an android or "synthezoid" whose makeup and construction virtually duplicates that of a true human. With a devil-red face, a costume that evokes a movie serial space tyrant, and the "sparkling personality" of Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the Vision has remained a fascinating, enigmatic figure. Amping up the Vision's fascination factor is the fact that he's what you might call a "recycled superhero", since his body is a modified version of the original (and ironically-named) Human Torch.

 

 Who upgraded the Torch into the Vision? 

Why, that would none other than Robot #3...

Ultron: Created by Hank "Ant Man/Giant Man" Pym, Ultron pulled an Insta-Oedipus on his "father" by immediately trying to kill him. Escaping from Pym's lab, Ultron upgraded and strengthened his design to include impervious Adamantium metal, advanced weaponry, and a distinctive, truly eerie-looking "face". Resuming his quest to kill Daddy Dearest and his fellow Avengers, Ultron (as I touched on above) discovered and altered the inert body of the Human Torch into an android assassin. Rebelling against his programming, the android joined the Avengers and took the name of "The Vision" (as suggested by his teammate the Wasp). Ultron, like any good A-list villain, has returned time and time again to destroy the Avengers and all of humankind.

The Sentinels: Making their debut way back in X-Men #14 (1965), the Sentinel robots were invented by Dr. Bolivar Trask to "save humanity" from the threat of mutants. Programmed to hunt, capture, or kill mutants, this army of 30 ft. powerhouses have faced the X-Men countless times while under the control of various individuals and organizations. Coolest thing about 'em? Those weird, expressionless faces and glowing eyes...underscoring their relentless quest to capture and crush mutantkind.

The Iron Giant: Okay...technically not a comic book robot, but considering he's my Favorite Robot of All Space and Time, hear me out. I as wrote about many moons ago, the Iron Giant movie (1999) completely blew my socks off for a whole host of reasons. One of those reasons was the (surprisingly vital) role comic books played in the title character's development. Because of that role, I feel justified in not only including the Iron Giant, but placing him right into the coveted Number One slot as well. Sure it's a stretch...but hey, it's my list, right?

But maybe if you watch this clip from the film's final act, you'll understand why I included the big guy. Here, as the tiny town of Rockwell faces nuclear annihilation, Hogarth's giant pal performs one final act of heroism...his last whispered word sealing the deal for the Top 10 number one slot.

(sniff) Excuse me, there...there must be something in my eye.

Okay, so now that you've seen my Top 10
comic book robots, what are some of yours?

Top 10 Comic Book Headquarters (Part One)

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest, 

A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest"

– English poet Robert Montgomery (1807-1855)

Although they're not "homes" in the strictest sense, comic book hideaways and headquarters enjoy a similar status with various superheroes and villains. Stocked with customized vehicles, specialized equipment, trophies and secrets galore, these sanctum sanctorums were more or less fantastical extensions of childhood tree forts and clubhouses....and an element I've always loved about superhero comics.

Like my robot list a few months back, I've tallied-up the ten best comic book hang-outs. Some you'll no doubt recognize and agree with...and others you won't. But that's the great thing about running your own blog, right?

So, enough blathering...let's get to the first five of the Top Ten Comic Book Headquarters...

The Phantom's Skull Cave: Hidden behind a waterfall deep in the jungles of Bangalla, the Skull Cave has been the home base of the Phantom for over twenty generations. As each father passed the mantle of the Phantom on to his son, the eerie cave has not only housed their chronicles, armory, and treasure, but the bodies of fallen Phantoms as well.

The Rock of Eternity: Defeating a great force of evil in the ancient past, the wizard SHAZAM imprisoned it under an immense rock that later became known as the Rock of Eternity. With the very Moment of Creation blazing at its pinnacle, the Rock stands outside of space and time and can be used to access any dimension or time period. It's from his throne inside the Rock that the spirit of Shazam lends the power of the gods to Billy Batson and the rest of the Marvel Family. Is it the most exciting looking headquarters? No...but I think the existential starkness of the Rock of Eternity is the key to its appeal.

The SHIELD Helicarrier: Built by a cooperative of scientists and industrialists (including Reed Richards and Tony Stark), the Helicarrier fuctioned as both a flying aircraft carrier and a mobile headquarters for SHIELD, the planet's premiere intelligence/defense agency. Although the design has changed a bit over the years, the array of gigantic helicopter rotors keeping it aloft have remained...a staggeringly impossible (yet endearing) feat of engineering that could only work in the pseudo-scientific skies of superhero comic books.

The Baxter Building: Appearing in Fantastic Four #3 (1962), the Baxter Building became the first official headquarters of the Marvel Universe (click on the image for a larger view). Boldly breaking with the tradition to locate superheroes in fictional cities, the Baxter Building was located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, its top five floors housing the labs, vehicles, and living quarters of the Fantastic Four. Bottom line? Any headquarters with a built-in long range ICBM missile automatically makes my Top Ten list.

Challenger Mountain: As prototypes of the Fantastic Four, DC's Challengers of the Unknown were four adventurers whose massive headquarters was a hollowed-out mountain located in the Colorado Rockies. Though I've never been much of a fan of the Challengers themselves, having an entire mountain as your home base certainly counts for something.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for Part Two, where I'll finish off my Top Ten Comic Book Headquarters!

Top 10 Comic Book Headquarters (Part Two)

 

The best thing about Part Two? No long-winded introductory paragraph! Picking up where Part One left off, let's get to numbers five through one:

The JLA Satellite: Leaving their original cave hangout behind, the League moved into a spiffy new orbiting satellite in Justice League #78 (1970), undoubtedly inspired by the space station in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).  Despite the "America" portion of the team's name, the satellite seemed to elevate the League's mission to that of international or even planetary protectors. In the years since the satellite's destruction, the JLA have steadily increased the "wow" factor of their succeeding headquarters (at one point building one on the moon)...but none of them quite surpass the groovy space-age vibe of that ol' satellite.

Latveria: In the early days of Marvel Comics, creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were determined to shake up the status quo. One of their many, many innovations was a Fantastic Four villain named Doctor Doom who, in addition to a compelling appearance and origin story, took the concept of the bad guy's lair to a completely new category. Instead of holing up in a building or even a compound, Doom's home base was an entire country...and he its beloved monarch! Located somewhere in Eastern Europe, the sovereign nation of Latveria was strictly ruled and fiercely protected by Doom and his advanced technology...which often made the Fantastic Four's efforts to stop him a diplomatically sticky situation.

The Tower of Fate: As one of the coolest heroes of the fabled Golden Age of Comics, sorcerer Doctor Fate had a headquarters that perfectly complemented his eerie modus operandi. Its Earthly aspect located in (a perpetually overcast) Salem, Massachusetts, this windowless and doorless tower could only be entered by Fate and his wife Inza. Inside were countless magical artifacts, weapons, and tomes dating back to the ancient world. Much like the Rock of Eternity (yesterday's #9), this stark, lonely structure exists outside of conventional space and time...and has recently been shown to have a bewildering, Escher-esque interior.

The Fortress of Solitude: God knows, I've said almost everything I could possibly say about Superman's Fortress of Solitude...but I have to reiterate just how much I love the concept of the Man of Steel needing a place to relax and unwind. Sure, he had the obligatory headquarters stuff like super-computers and trophy rooms...but first and foremost, the Fortress was a place for Superman to chill the heck out! (no arctic-pun intended). My favorite of its many iterations was, of course, the version featured from 1957 through 1986 which, as you can read about here, is intertwined with my first-ever encounter with the Superman character.

As much as I love the Fortress of Solitude, it was narrowly edged out by my top pick...which by now should be obvious to just about anyone who's read a comic book. The number one Comic Book Headquarters is, of course....

The Original Legion of Superheroes Clubhouse: Made from a semi-buried, upside-down rocketship, the headquarters of the futuristic Legion of Superheroes was....

Okay, you didn't seriously think I picked this as #1, did you?

All right, all right...the real number one can only be...

The Batcave: The perfect expression of the secret headquarters concept, the Batcave simply can't be surpassed in its thematic compatibility with its hero and its sheer mythic weight. Mostly utilitarian, with intriguing touches of sentimentality, the sprawling underground complex is a breathtaking testament to the lengths Bruce Wayne has gone to avenge his parents' deaths. 

Now that I've posted my Top 10 hang-outs, what are some of yours? 

Top 10: Lamest Comic Book Vehicles (Part One)

Like an impressive headquarters, a super-cool vehicle can really boost a comic character's prestige.

Unfortunately, those vehicles aren't what this Top Ten list is about. In fact, it might be more accurately described as a Bottom 10 list, as I feature what I believe to be the ten lamest vehicles I've encountered in my comic book travels. However, before I get to the list, some clarification. In my book, "lame" doesn't so much refer to a vehicle's visuals (which may or may not be well-designed), but more to its odd or uncharacteristic fit with a certain character. And sometimes...they're just crazy insane.

With that said, let's get to the first five of the Top Ten Lamest Comic Book Vehicles...

The Jokermobile: Considering the Joker's well-documented insanity, I'll cut him some slack and stick his Jokermobile at the top of the list. When the 1950's rolled around, the Joker was changed from a homicidal maniac into a relatively harmless pest who echoed many of Batman's gadgets and vehicles...including a customized car. On one hand, the Jokermobile had an undeniable goofy charm...but on the other hand, it embodied just how far afield the Batman comics of the 1950's and 60's had strayed from their moody and mysterious beginnings.

The Doom-Copter: When Doctor Doom made his debut in Fantastic Four #5 (1962), he appeared over their Baxter Building headquarters piloting this bizarre helicopter. Referred to only as his "plane", the silly shark/jack-o-lantern face on the front seems pretty uncharacteristic of Doom...even here at the very beginning of his long history. 

The Invisible Plane: Hands-down one of the strangest comic books of all time, early Wonder Woman stories were packed with all kinds of bizarre and nonsensical elements. One of the most nonsensical was Wonder Woman's Invisible Plane, an unlikely device to come from an isolated society of mythic warrior women. Decades later, a reboot of the character dumped the plane and gave her the ability to fly (not a stretch considering her heritage), but for the first forty-five years of Wonder Woman's history, this unseen telepathically-controlled flying non-sequitur was her primary mode of long-distance travel.

Magneto's Magna-Car: Like fellow arch-villain Dr. Doom, the early Magneto also had a flair for cheesy customized vehicles. Resembling a giant magnet on wheels, the Magna-Car was used to transport Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to and from their crime sprees. At the time, I'm sure it was a nifty little contraption...but as the X-Men foe grew in complexity over the years, the Magna-Car seems comically out-of-sync with the character we now know as Magneto.

 

The Flying Batcave: Of all the exotic bat-themed vehicles in the Bat-Garage, there's one vehicle that beats them all not only in size, but in sheer lameosity! Boasting its own crime lab, garage, kitchen, sleeping quarters, and mini-trophy room (with its own giant penny!), the Flying Batcave made its jaw-dropping debut in Detective Comics #186 (1952). In its second (and mercifully last) appearance 11 years later (Det. Comics #318), the Flying Batcave was the location of the Center City Police Convention! Holy Campy Excess, Batman!

Since the fragile human mind can only handle so much horror, that's it for now. Get some rest, clear your minds, then come back tomorrow for Part Two, where I'll cover the final five of the Top Ten Lamest Comic Book Vehicles!

Top 10: Lamest Comic Book Vehicles (Part Two)

Which comic book vehicles are even lamer than the
ones I covered yesterday? Why, funny you should ask... 

The Green Goblin's Flying Broomstick: The Green Goblin's first appearance way back in Amazing Spider-Man #14 (1964) hardly conveyed the complex master villain he would eventually become. As I touched upon in another post, the Green Goblin was initially a somewhat whimsical figure who convinced Spider-Man to star in a phony Hollywood movie. Amplifying the loopiness of the Goblin's debut was his first mode of transportation...a mechanical flying broomstick! Looking a bit like a space age butter churn, the Goblin would ride perched upon the mechanical broomstick while (miraculously) not tipping to the left or right while flying. Thankfully, the much cooler Bat Glider came along with his very next appearance...but Norman Osborn will always have that peculiar, impossibly stable flying broomstick to live down (despite his exalted status in the current Marvel Universe).

The Mountain of Judgement: I run hot and cold on the work of Jack Kirby. I absolutely adore the work he did for Marvel as one of its "founding fathers" during the 1960's, but when he left Marvel (and Stan Lee's moderating influence) in 1970, he completely lost me with the "Fourth World" stuff he did for DC. Made up of four interlinked titles (including The New Gods and Jimmy Olsen), Kirby's cosmic opera was jam-packed with bombastic eccentricity, half-baked concepts, incoherent plots, and a cast of profoundly campy, one-dimensional characters. Putting a bow on the whole mess was Kirby's comically surreal writing style, which tended to dampen, not sharpen, the intended awe factor. When he wasn't dashing off cornball characters like Virman Vundabar, Granny Goodness or Goody Rickles, Kirby cranked out a steady stream of Way-Out Vehicles, which paradoxically seemed to get goofier and less interesting as their size and complexity grew. A good example of this whacknuttery was The Mountain of Judgement, a massive missile transport that resembled a green gargoyle having relations with an choo-choo train. Special Bonus Lame Vehicle: If you look closely, the tiny white object dwarfed by the M.O.J. was another Way-Out Kirby Vehicle known as "The Whiz Wagon". Yes...you heard me. The WHIZ WAGON.

 

The Black Racer's Skis: While I'm beating up on a Beloved Legend, I might as well mention another lame Kirby creation. Technically not a vehicle in the traditional wheeled or winged sense, the Black Racer's flying skis are nonetheless a method of transport....albeit an incredibly goofy one. Obviously meant to evoke the Silver Surfer character he'd created for Marvel, the Black Racer was supposedly the personification of death.

Who wore a knight helmet.
 
With a bright yellow cape.

Who flew.

On skis.

The Fiddle Car: The debut of The Fiddler in All-Flash #32 (1948) also marked the first appearance of his Fiddle Car, one of the earliest (and craziest) of the customized comic book vehicles. When the original Flash was revived several years later in Flash #123 (1961), the Fiddler and his Fiddle Car came with him, along with two more villains from Jay Garrick's old Rogue's Gallery. Though I'll give points to the Fiddle Car for its forward thinking open-air design, its overwhelming camp factor (and inability to parallel park anywhere) cancels out my charitable mood.

The Supermobile: When the radiation of a red sun's explosion robbed Superman of his powers in Action #481 (1978), he built the Supermobile to simulate his lost superpowers, to protect himself from harm, and to claim the world record for the Lamest Comic Book Vehicle Ever Created. Shockingly, the Corgi toy company rolled out a die-cast version of the Supermobile shortly after its comic book debut...so you do the math!

Mercifully, this storyline (Action Comics #481-483) was the one and only appearance of the dreaded Supermobile...which was never to be seen again.

Unless you count that cameo appearance in The All-New Atom #8 (2007). In an alternate future where city governments are based on superheroes of the past, the forces of the Superman and Batman cities team up and invade another city using a fleet of Batwings and Supermobiles!

So there you go.  The ten lamest vehicles in all of comicdom...your mileage may vary.

Top Ten: Comic Book Villains (Part One)

Like a bird without feathers, or pancakes without syrup, comic book superheroes would be nothing without their villains!

Although little more than gangsters or mad scientists in the early years of superhero comics, villains gradually became as flashy and powerful as the costumed crimefighters themselves. Ultimately, the sheer number of supervillains caused most of them to be forgotten as soon as they appeared. However, a small percentage of them have risen above obscurity and made a big impression on me. I've selected ten of my favorite supervillains, some of which most would agree with...and a few you might quibble with.  But, if that's the case, the internet is in no danger of running out of real estate, so you can post your own Top Ten Villain list if the spirit moves you. For now, here's mine:

Reverse Flash: Considering my well-documented enthusiasm for opposite numbers, it's no surprise that my list begins with The Reverse Flash. Making his first appearance in Flash #139 (1963), Eobard Thawne was a 25th century criminal who gained super-speed from an old Flash costume using that era's ultra-advanced technology. Sometimes known as "Professsor Zoom", Thawne fought Barry Allen time and time again, eventually murdering his wife Iris and, some years later, lost his own life while attempting to kill Barry's fiance Fiona Webb.  Recently, a villain named "Zoom" donned the costume of the Reverse Flash...but now that Barry Allen has returned to the land of the living, I suspect that ol' Eobard Thawne won't be far behind.

Bizarro: Let's face it: despite being the original superhero, Superman's rogue's gallery has never quite measured up to his vaunted status. Sure, Lex Luthor is usually offered up as one of his best...and from the brains vs. brawn angle, he IS a compelling villain, but his last two decades as a somewhat inert corporate & political figure has dampened his standing (at least with me). That leaves only a handful of Superman villains that could make the A-list...and chief among them is Bizarro. Taking the concept of "evil opposite" to its most literal extreme, this "imperfect duplicate" wasn't only a physical distortion of the Man of Steel, but a twisted, illogical version of his intellect and morality as well. Alternately portrayed as a figure of sympathy, humor, or terror (depending on the era or creative team), Bizarro has always embodied the frightening reality of the power of Superman untethered from wisdom and self-control.

The Kingpin: Making his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967), New York's imposing "Kingpin of Crime" quickly developed into one of comics' most fascinating and complex characters. Part of that appeal stemmed from how much the Kingpin resembled "real world" figures of organized crime, with few trappings of the more traditional costume-wearing, gimmick-toting villain crowd. Although hints of a more complex personal life came to light during his years as a Spider-Man villain, it wasn't until a young turk named Frank Miller made him a Daredevil foe that the Kingpin (a.k.a. "Wilson Fisk") gained the compelling backstory and machiavellian personna that make him the A-list master criminal he is today.

Thanos: With his massive, craggy-faced appearance and space-god heritage, it's clear that Jim Starlin's Thanos character was at least partially inspired by Jack Kirby's Darkseid, who'd made his DC Comics debut a few years earlier. However, that's where the similarities end. Whereas Darkseid was primarily confined to Kirby's quartet of "Fourth World" titles, Thanos threatened the entire Marvel Universe right out of the gate. Originally appearing as a "cosmic villain" in Iron-Man #55 (1973), Thanos quickly rolled out a plan that spanned several Marvel titles...which became (quite possibly) comics' first mega-epic, multi-title crossover (am I forgetting anything before it?). Seeking to win the love of Death (personified as a mysterious hooded woman), Thanos had long sought to obliterate the universe through a variety of schemes and objects of power (such as the Cosmic Cube and the Infinity Gauntlet). Add to this inexhaustible ambition an origin story with fallen angel/Oedipal overtones and a sprawling supporting cast, and you've got yourself a Top Ten villain.

Two-Face: Formerly Gotham City's District Attorney and an ally of Batman, Harvey Dent lost his sanity and turned to crime when one side of his face was hideously disfigured. Like his bizarrely mismatched outfit, Dent's psyche was also split down the middle, requiring the flip of a coin to determine his good or bad actions. This constant theme of duality, beyond his chilling look and M.O., is the primary reason I enjoy Two-Face so much. He seems to embody the warring sides of human nature itself, as good and bad behavior coexist yet battle for control with the capriciousness of a coin flip.

Stay tuned for part two of my Top Ten Comic Book Villains!

Top Ten: Comic Book Villains (Part Two)

Continued from yesterday, here's the final

 half of my Top Ten Comic Book Villains...

The Green Goblin: Despite a rather underwhelming debut in Amazing Spider-Man #14 (1963), the Green Goblin was still the most mysterious and intriguing figure in Spidey's burgeoning rogues gallery. Unlike other comic book villains, the true identity of the Green Goblin was kept secret from even the reader for several years. According to comic book legend, co-creator Steve Ditko wanted the Goblin to remain completely anonymous, having grown tired of stories where the villain is unmasked as someone known by the hero. Well, thankfully (in this case) Ditko was overuled by Stan Lee, because in Spider-Man #39 (1966) the Goblin was revealed to be Norman Osborn, the father of Peter Parker's best friend. That same issue, Osborn discovered Parker was actually Spider-Man, escalating their conflict to an intensely personal level. Another fascinating (and somewhat groundbreaking) aspect of Osborn was his struggle with mental illness. Sure, insanity had been a pillar of supervillainy for quite awhile, but Osborn's psychosis gave readers a glimpse into the twilight world of mental illness that no comic book had really explored before. This cyclical struggle culminated in the death of Parker's girlfriend Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man #121 (1973), followed by the ironic death of Osborn the very next issue.

Sadly, anyone familiar with the current Marvel Universe knows that Norman Osborn was retroactively resurrected some years ago, was revealed to have secretly fathered two children with Gwen Stacy (!), and is now some kind of out-of-control Homeland Security official bent on world domination.  Or something.

Well, in my mind, Norman Osborn is still dead from a bat-glider to the chest...with his evil still haunting Peter Parker from beyond the grave.

Galactus: For the first quarter century of superhero comics, villains didn't do much more than steal money from banks or priceless artifacts from museums. However, in Fantastic Four #48 (1966), Jack Kirby and Stan Lee upped the ante to the Nth degree with Galactus, an elaborately-armored space god so powerful, he could steal the life force of entire planets! Although many near-omnipotent figures have come along since Galactus, ol' bucket-head remains my favorite (despite some funky costume issues in his first few appearances). As the years went by, Galactus became a more ambiguous figure...less a straight-up villain and more a universal force of nature who occasionally assisted the planet Earth when he wasn't threatening to consume it.

Magneto: X-Men #1 (1964) not only marked the first appearance of Marvel's future cash cows, but of their number one villain as well. Starting out as a more one-note "take over the world" bad guy (complete with a dopey Magna-Car), Magneto evolved into a richer, much more complex character whose mutant power and hatred of humanity was triggered by the Holocaust. For a brief time, he worked with fellow mutant Charles Xavier to help other mutants, but their friendship ended when Magneto believed mutants should rule humanity instead of peacefully co-exist with it. Besides the compelling backstory, Magneto's immense power over Earth's magnetic fields and his unique costume design (love that helmet!) more than qualify him for Top Ten status.

Doctor Doom: Yet another utterly unique creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Victor Von Doom has menaced just about every Marvel superhero since his debut in Fantastic Four #5 (1962). Like no other villain before him, Doom was the ruler of an entire country, a tiny Balkan kingdom named Latveria. Thanks to his diplomatic immunity, Doom was free to roam the world with impunity, using his mastery of both sorcery and super-science to conquer it (well, attempt to conquer it). His iron mask, armor, and flowing cape are said by some to the be the inspiration for Darth Vader's look (a claim I've yet to confirm), but whatever the case, Doom's medieval costume, skull-like mask, and towering hubris are the paragon of classic comic book evil.

The Joker: Coming as a surprise to exactly nobody, the Joker wins the number one slot on my Top Ten Villains list. This ghastly, clown faced killer made his first appearance in Batman #1 (1940) and is clearly one of the most chilling, frightening figures in all of fiction. Except for a brief period when he was portrayed as a relatively harmless, light-hearted nuisance, the Joker has always been a deadly, darkly humorous figure whose roots go far deeper than his comic book origins. Like the comedy and

tragedy masks of antiquity, as well as various jester/harlequin archetypes from across the centuries, the Joker's sardonic smile taps into the darker recesses of the human psyche. After all, at the core, most humor has an element of cruelty to it...which the Joker ruthlessly embodies and exploits. Adding to his appeal is the blank slate of his background before he became the Joker.  A bit like what Steve Ditko had wanted for the Green Goblin (see #5 above), the Joker's anonymity makes his existence all the more mysterious and...in some ways...borderline supernatural. Bottom line? The Joker is, quite simply, the perfect embodiment of uninhibited cruelty and chaos that many of us find disturbingly...liberating?  How many comic book villains can have that kind of impact?

Whew. There you have it.  Ten really evil, yet really entertaining bad guys. 

Who are some of yours?

Top Ten: Comic Book Vehicles (Part One)

Several months back, I listed my Top Ten Lamest Comic Book Vehicles, which inspired some good discussion in the comments section. So, to keep the conversation going, let's balance the cosmic scales by taking a look at the Top Ten COOLEST Comic Book vehicles. 

(According to ME, that is.)

The Spider-Mobile: In addition to its sporty dune-buggy design, the early 1970's roll-out of the Spider-Mobile was also a clever parody of crass commercialism and celebrity endorsements.  As part of their campaign to sell a new non-polluting car engine, the ad agency of Carter and Lombardo convinced a reluctant (yet cash-strapped) Spider-Man to lend his name to the promotion. With the help of gear-head Johnny "Human Torch" Storm, the Spider-Mobile made its debut in Spider-Man #130 (1974)...becoming a source of constant embarrassment and irritation for Web-Head until it sunk into the Hudson River less than a year later. More precisely, a dozen panels after the image below (from Spider-Man #141). Sure, as a concept the Spider-Mobile was a joke (a joke Spider-Man was in on), but it's cool design by artist Ross Andru demands the first slot on my Top Ten list.

 

The Asgardian Starjammer: Something I've always loved about Marvel's classic Thor series was its "Lord of the Rings meets Star Trek" fusion of fantasy and sci-fi elements. Take the Starjammer, for example. Looking like an ancient Scandinavian dragon ship, the enchanted Starjammer could sail the "seas" of the universe with only a sail and rudder as its only visible means of propulsion and navigation.  An odd sight, to be sure, but perfectly consistent with the surreal mythic/cosmic whimsy that made Thor such a consistent joy to read.

Brainiac's Skull Ship: When DC upgraded Brainiac from a green bald guy into a Gigeresque high-tech horror, they also traded in his old 50's era flying saucer for a terrifying new spaceship that mirrored his spooky, skull-like head. Adding to the creepy factor were giant tentacles snaking and probing from the bottom of the ship. Although Brainiac himself has undergone several more upgrades/retrogrades since then, the Skull Ship has managed to stick around in essentially the same sinister form.

The Silver Surfer's Board: Has there ever been a character more perfectly suited to the time of its creation than the Silver Surfer? Channeling the surf culture of the early 1960's, artist Jack Kirby inserted this mysterious chrome-plated character into the artwork of Fantastic Four #48 (1966), taking writer and F.F. co-creator Stan Lee completely off guard...though not for long. In fact, Lee added some polish to the Silver Surfer by infusing his dialogue with noble, philosophical musings that mirrored the hippy-dippy cosmic spirituality of the age. Although the character is still surfing the skyways today, no artist has ever surpassed (much less equaled) the streamlined cool and eerie grace of Kirby's Silver Surfer...with the heiroglyphics of elaborate flight paths zig-zagging in his wake.

 

 

The S.H.IE.L.D. Flying Car: Nearly two decades before a DeLorean flipped its wheels and flew into the closing credits of Back to the Future (1985), Marvel Comics entered the international spy craze in style with their flying Porsche 904. Built for the security organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. by Tony (Iron-Man) Stark, Nick Fury and his fellow agents could look classy on the road, then flip the wheels into hover-mode for aerial surveillance or a quick getaway! 

 

 

That'll do it for Part One. Stay tuned for the top five comic book vehicles in Part Two! Some will be obvious choices...but there may be a surprise or two as well.

Top Ten: Comic Book Vehicles (Part Two)

Yesterday we covered ten through six, now fasten your seat belts for the final five. Think you've figured them out already?  Think again!

Samson's Chronomobile: I run hot and cold on the stories of Grant Morrison, the avant-garde metatextual shaman of superhero comics. Some of them, like Final Crisis, I find insufferably esoteric... yet others, like his All-Star Superman, I find fresh and wildly entertaining. Using the sprawling Superman mythos of the Silver Age (1960's) as his inspiration and template, Morrison celebrated many of the character types and situations the Superman of that far away era often encountered...such as his routine befriending of historic/mythological heroes! In issue #4 of All-Star Superman, Biblical strongman Samson showed up in the time-traveling Chronomobile (along with his Greek mythology pal Atlas) to challenge Superman to a friendly contest of strength (as mythic strongmen are known to do). Now, the Chronomobile appeared for only a panel or two, but the thought of Samson gallivanting through time in a cosmic hot rod just delights me to no end. Enough to earn it the vaunted number five slot.

 

The Fantasti-Car: As the first official super-vehicle of the modern Marvel universe, the original Fantastic-Car was quickly dubbed "the flying bathtub" for obvious reasons (click on the inset to the left for a closer look). Later on, F.F. leader Reed Richards designed a much more dynamic and useful Fantasti-Car, one which could fly as either a single unit or detach into four separate "scout" modules. Ideally, a comic book vehicle should be a good thematic fit with its respective character(s), and the Fantasti-Car's bulky "family vehicle" feel and somewhat corny name did exactly that for Marvel's First Family!

 

The Goblin Glider: The villain who ultimately became Spider-Man's greatest enemy made his rather inauspicious debut with a goofy plan and an even goofier vehicle. Thankfully, by his second appearance, the Green Goblin's original mode of transportation was replaced by the sinister Goblin Glider! Faster and more maneuverable, the bat-shaped flying platform belched out dark clouds of smoke, adding flagrant disregard for the environment to Norman Osborn's long list of crimes! Years later, the Goblin Glider would play an important (and hugely ironic) role in one of the most dramatic scenes in comic book history, perfectly justifying its place at #3.

The Golden Age Batmobile: Although I'm fond of most Batmobile designs from Batman's seven decade run, I'm particularly drawn to the earlier Golden Age (1940's) models featuring the spooky "bat head" mounted to the grill. If criminals weren't already scared of Batman himself, the Batmobile's eerie "sunken eyes" barreling toward them would send them shrieking for the safety of the nearest police precinct.  I also get a kick out of how the Golden Age Batmobile always seemed to be drawn from a dramatic 3/4 "worm's eye" (ground-up) perspective, with the looming bat-head and windshield area swiftly tapering back and down toward the much smaller back fenders (as you can see in the examples below).  Eternally classic and forever cool.

 

At this point. you might be wondering what could possibly supplant the Batmobile for #1? Well, believe me, I went round and round with this in my own head...and ultimately decided to make my top pick:

Kal-El's Rocketship: Surprised? Yeah...in a way, I was too (and I made the dang list)! Sometimes I just don't know where these things are going to take me...but the more I thought it through, the more it made sense to move it all the way to #1.

You see, unlike the other vehicles on my list, this pick has nothing (or very little) to do with visuals or high concept and everything to do with the pure pop-cultural significance of the rocket that delivered baby Supes to Earth. Put another way, it's "historical significance" (if you'll permit me to use such a grandiose term) within the world of superhero comics seems to trump the more visually appealing vehicles on my list...even one as iconic as the Batmobile!

After all, the crudely-drawn rocketship appeared in the very first panel of the very first Superman story in Action Comics #1 in 1938 (left), and..in one form or another...has remained a crucial part of the Superman story ever since. Of all the rocketship designs, I suppose a sentimental favorite would be the Silver/Bronze Age version (lower left below), but like I said, it's looks are less important than its place at the head of the comic book history parade.

So...what do you think?  Am I off my rocker for my #1 pick? Did I make a huge mistake by omitting a certain comic book vehicle?  Or am I right on the mark? Leave a comment and let me know!