Pop Culture Chronicles

Looking Ahead

I've been away for a while, but I'm back and planning to post on a much more frequent basis. I have tons of ideas for writing about comics and other aspects of pop culture. Keep checking in for more posts. 

Blogging is a great way to organize your thougths, so here is a reminder to myself, and whoever else is interested, regarding some upcoming events in DC Comics.

Countdown to Adventure (trade paperback). $17.99, release date July 23. Reprinting the recent mini series, this continues the adventures of Animal Man, Adam Strange, and Starfire, my favorite storyline in the 52 title.

Justice Society of America Annual 1 - release date July 31. I've mentioned several times the exciting return to Earth-2. I understand that the Batman of this earth will indeed be deceased. I'm still holding out hope that someday he can be brought back. In comics anything can happen. But this will be good anyway, with the return of Robin and the Huntress. And I've read that this will be the springboard for launching Power Girl in her own series. How cool is that!?!?

DC Universe: Last Will and Testament - This August release will appear between Final Crisis 3 & 4 as the DC heroes prepare for the battle of the millennium. How will each choose to spend what may prove to be the last day of their lives? 48 pages.

Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds - Three versions of the Legion of Superheroes including some really retro incarnations and the sole survivor of Earth Prime. This five issue mini-series begins in August.

Final Crisis: Superman Beyond- A two-parter in which, according to CSN, Superman teams up with his "multiple earth counterparts on a voyage to the edge of the DC Universe--and beyond.' So there is something beyond the 52 universes of the reestablished multiverse? I can't wait to see what!

Kingdom Come - Trade paperback. Not having read the complete series, which this reprints,  I'll either pick this up when finances allow or wait for it at the public library.

Brave and the Bold- J. Michael Straczynski, of Marvel's The Twelve will take over writing chores on this title later this year. His first story will team up Batman and the Jim Corrigan Spectre. Sounds pretty retro to me.

Well, I'm off to update my pull list.     

Reviews: Justice Society, Avengers / Invaders

Justice Society of America 15-16

Plotted by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross, with alternate painted covers by Ross. The interior art by Eaglesham and Rollins is outstanding. I'm enjoying this story arc in spite of the so-called New Gods and fourth world stuff, which I could typically care less about. But Gog is an interesting character and some happy events actually take place in # 16. Do comics always have to be dark? 

Issue 15 is basically a battle issue with the JSA against Magog. While character development might at first seem sparse, the characters are developed as individual members' powers are showcased in various panels. The final page of this issue promises a return of Earth-2 and its Robin and Huntress (but we already knew that, right?). Both issues 15 and 16 hint at a return of Isis, a character created to be killed in 52. I do hope she comes back. I liked her. 

I'm glad Cyclone is around. It's great to have a descendant of the original Red Tornado on board. But I do wish she'd replace that utterly ridiculous costume. She looks more like she belongs in the circus than with the JSA. 

Avengers / Invaders 1-2

In addition to JSA, Alex Ross is co-plotting and painting covers for this Marvel/Dynamite series. I wasn't going to add anything else to my pull list. But my love for Golden Age characters, combined with the free sketch book, and Ross' life like painted cover for the first issue made this a must read. It takes me back to the Roy Thomas Invaders series I read as a kid in the 70s.  

The Invaders accidentally travel forward through time from the battlefields of World War II to  present day NYC. They get there through a most creative and mysterious means. And they unknowingly take an American soldier with them. What havoc might such anomalies play on the timestream? 

Will the WW II Captain America learn that the Avengers he meets were his friends in the present, but that it's a present in which he is already dead? Will Bucky meet his older self, who I hear is the new Captain America? Will the outcome of WW II be altered in the Marvel Universe?

This is one of three current titles in which Golden Age heroes find themselves in their future, which is our present day. The others include Marvel's excellent series, The Twelve. It may be that the Black Widow of that series may appear in this one along with some other forgotten Golden Age heroes. The third title with Golden Age heroes is Project Superpowers. As with Justice Society of America and Avengers / Invaders this one also includes painted covers and co-plotting by Ross. 

I love this resurgence of Golden Age characters and I'm enjoying Avengers / Invaders as much as I have any comic in a long time. By the time I get to the last page I can't believe it's already over and I'm looking forward to the next issue to see what develops. Sadowski's excellent interior art makes the original Human Torch more realistic than ever. Ross and Krueger have Namor's character down perfect. And of course Ironman and Spiderman play key roles.                     

Earth-Two Batman

I just had to buy the Earth-Two Batman a few weeks ago at my local comic shop. He is from DC Direct's All Star Comics with the Super Squad line---the fourth Reactivated series. I've actually had the Earth-Two Robin since 2005. I bought him at a comic shop while vacationing in Colorado. He is part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths action figures series, released on the 20th anniversary of the comic book series. Although from two different sets, these guys do look great together.   

While this is the "Golden Age" Dynamic Duo, these figures actually reflect the "Bronze Age" look of these characters. This is how they looked in the 70s. During these years, Robin fought alongside the JSA in their annual team-ups with the JLA. This version of Robin also appeared with the JSA in All Star Comics and Adventure Comics. He remained active into the early modern age in the original Infinity Inc. and with the Huntress in the back pages of Wonder Woman.

But how often did this version of Batman and Robin actually pair up during the Bronze Age? I can think of only one adventure they shared during that era. They appeared in Justice League of America 135-137.

For that matter, how often did the Earth-Two Batman appear during that era? His rare appearances include the following:

• There was a one panel cameo in Justice League of America 82 (1970), recently reprinted in the trade, Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 2.

• The above mentioned appearance with Robin in Justice League of America 135-137 (1976), recently reprinted in the trade, Crisis on Multiple Earths, Volume 4. 

• In 1977 Batman appeared in All Star Comics 66-68.

• Also in 1977, readers learned that the Earth-Two Batman and Catwoman had married, raising a daughter who grew up to be the crime fighting Huntress. These stories were told in All Star Comics 69 (Huntress' first appearance) and DC Super Stars 17 (telling of the Catwoman's death which inspired her daughter's crime fighting career). The DC Super Stars story was recently reprinted in the trade, The Huntress: Dark Knight Daughter.    

• The year 1979 saw the story of this Batman's death in Adventure Comics 461-463.

The Earth-Two Batman also made various "retroactive" appearances during the Bronze and Modern Age. Most of these were stories set in the 1940s during World War II.

- DC Special 29 - Origin of the JSA (1977)

-The Brave and the Bold 146 (1979) {Batman and the Unknown Soldier during WW II}

- Justice League of America 193 (1981)

- All Star Squadron 1-4, 24-26, 31-37, 41, 54, 59-60 (1981-1986)

- All Star Squadron Annual 2 (1983) and 3 (1984)

- The Brave and the Bold 182 (1982) {Dick Grayson's short stint as Batman}

- The Brave and the Bold 197 (1983) {Retroactive telling of events in 1950s leading to Batman & Catwoman's marriage} Reprinted in the trade, Greatest Stories, Volume 2: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told.

- America vs. The Justice Society of America (1985) Four part limited series in which Batman plays a vital role through flashbacks.

- Secret Origins 6 (1986) Retelling of Batman's origin.

- JSA 82 (2006) Retroactive tale of Earth-Two's Batman and Superman.

- JSA 85 (2006) Batman appears as a ghost.

It's possible I could have missed something, but these are the appearances I came up with in my comic and internet research. If you have anything to add, or any questions, feel free. 

I love Batman and especially the Golden Age Batman. Since his recent appearances in the pages of JSA and the announcement of a new Earth-2 in August, I'm hoping this guy will make a comeback. I've always liked the idea of Batman and Catwoman having a daughter who fights crime. It would be awesome if her parents could still be living on the rebooted Earth-2, perhaps serving as mentors. I'm not holding my breath, but with the return of the Earth-2 Robin and Huntress at least an Earth-Two Batman's legacy might continue.    

Favorite Earths, Part 3

I've been listing my favorite earths in the new DC multiverse. The next two are earths which could have had great potential. [Spoiler Warning for those who haven't read Countdown].

Earth 15 This earth debuted in Countdown # 30. The cover was the first thing that excited me. Here was a Batman looking very Bronze Age and a Wonder Woman looking a bit Golden or Silver Age. On this world of heroes realized, Jason Todd is Batman following the demise of Bruce Wayne. Donna Troy is Wonder Woman. The Atom is the 18-year-old Jessica Palmer. An interesting twist is that Zod is Superman and one of the good guys.

In issue 24, Superman Prime destroys this earth. Disappointed that it's not the perfect earth, he began his reign of terror by wiping out the Justice League of this world.

Earth 51 This earth debuted in Countdown # 19. On this earth Libby Lawrence-Chambers is President of the United States and Clark Kent's identity is out in the open. It's a near perfect world in which the newspaper makes no mention of crime, war, poverty, or disease.

The Ray Palmer (a.k.a. The Atom) of New Earth (the post-crisis earth) has traveled to this earth and taken the place of his deceased doppelganger on this world. Here Palmer found a home, and presumably a future, with Jean Loring, this earth's version of his ex-wife. Ray Palmer had found happiness.

Palmer attends a Christmas Eve party in issue 18 where his circle of friends include Ralph Dibny (a.k.a. Elongated Man) and his wife, Sue, and Barry Allen (a.k.a. The Flash) and his true love, Iris. All are alive and well. Until issue 17 where all Palmer's friends are wiped out. So here's a rundown of how things go for Earth 51:

Issue 16 - Monarch and his army take this unsuspecting and unprepared world by surprise. The Monitor of this world tries desperately to save it. The Batman of this earth never retired with the rest of the League after they obliterated crime, but he hung out in a "Bat Bunker" where he waited for the other shoe to drop.

Issue 15 - This is where we learn that that the JLA had declared war on criminals and wiped out all the rogues. They had also once met a JSA from another earth (from which earth?--I wonder).

Issue 13 - Superman Prime damages Monarch's armor, releasing quantum energy that wipes out earth 51 and its entire universe. And yet, a green plant survives. Where there is life there is hope.

Issue 7 - The Challengers had been transported to another earth by a Monitor. But which earth is it? They assume it was their own until they realize that either this isn't their earth or they've been erased from existence.

Issue 6 - Here is the outbreak of the chaos-producing morticoccus virus on Earth 51. The Green Lantern of this world goes into deep space unknowingly spreading the virus throughout the galaxy.

Issue 5 - The Challengers escape through a boom tube. Narrator Buddy Blank and his grandson take refuge in the Command D bunker where he had worked on the defunct Brother Eye project.  Meanwhile, world leaders suspect one another of the havoc that has been unleashed and so resort to nuclear weapons. It seems obvious that Blank's grandson will be Kamandi, Last Boy on Earth.

Issue 4 - This issue seems to indicate that this world was a reconstituted Earth 51.

Issue 1 - Brother eye transforms Blank into Omac. Two universes are said to have perished under the watch of Nix Uotan, Monitor of Earth 51.

Okay, so like many other fans, I'm scratching my head wondering what the point was of this whole Countdown series. I can't tell that too much has changed apart from a new Kamandi origin and learning that the Challengers will now monitor the Monitors. Whatever. (Check out this review from Snell).

But the whole point of this post is my lament of the demise of a couple of earths that had great retro and storytelling potential. Earth 15 was retro in a Bronze Age sort of way. And on both Earths 15 and 51, some heroes had their dreams realized. Palmer finally found happiness.

But along comes Superman Prime destroying both these worlds in his search for the perfect earth. Is there no such thing as a happy ending in the DC Universe? Why wasn't Palmer allowed happiness with his wife and friends? Why couldn't Todd and Troy of Earth 15 continue to fill the shoes of their predecessors?

I recall the good ol' days with happy endings and the good guys always won. So I lamented right along with Superman and Lois of Earth Two and Superboy (can we call him that?) Prime in Infinite Crisis when they mourned over what the singular Modern Age universe had become. Grit, grisly violence, death, corruption, and so fourth; heroes dying and being maimed. The Modern Age was a complete loss of innocence for the DC Universe.

I at first thought that Superman Prime, in his search for the perfect earth, was a parody of us nostalgists who long for a return to the good ol' days. But Mark Engblom at Comic Coverage, in a post titled August Can't Get Here Soon Enough has identified Superman Prime a parody of fan boy entitlement.

This is evidenced by Prime's disgust for the multiple earths concept in Countdown 23. So I guess all fans boys are fair game and not just those who long for a return to days of old which includes a return of the multiverse.

Okay, this is long, but I hope it makes sense. My question now is "What's next?" Well, next is Final Crisis, in which we're told that evil wins. Oh, great! Just what a retro guy like me wants to hear.

So will I be on board? Of course. I've followed the DC Universe saga this long, so why not see where it goes? And this promises to be the FINAL Crisis. I can't say I'm sorry. Earth shattering changes are okay every twenty years, but enough is enough! And I, for one, will be royally peeved if any more of my favorite earths get destroyed. Long live the multiverse!                

Favorite Earths, Part 2

I'll continue to list the parallel earth's of DC Comics' new multiverse that I feel have some real potential. In a previous post, I covered Earth 2. Here are some others I can't wait to know more about:

Earth 5 This will be home to the Fawcett characters including the Shazam family. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, the Marvels lived on Earth S to which Earth 5 will bear resemblance. I wonder about Earth 5. Will it still be the World War II era on this earth? If it's a contemporary earth, then will the Marvel family have begun their careers in this generation or will they be World War II survivors who were awakened in modern times after years in suspended animation? Will the Mary Marvel of this earth wear red, black, or white?

Will Earth 5 see a revival of other Fawcett characters including Mr. Scarlet and Pinky, Bulletman and Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, and Ibis the invincible? (all of whom teamed up with the JLA, JSA, and Marvel family in Justice League of America 135-137). We'll see.

Earth 10 This would be home of the Quality characters including the original Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady, Doll Man, the Human Bomb, Black Condor, and the Ray. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, these Freedom Fighters lived on Earth X where the Nazis won World War II. Just how similar will Earth 10 be to Earth X?

Earth 19 Home of the Batman of an earlier century. The character was introduced in the one shot Elseworlds tale Gotham by Gaslight.

Earth 21 This will be the New Frontier version of the DC Universe. In Darwyn Cooke's series, the DC heroes still exist in the Silver Age. In the Justice League: New Frontier Special, it is the early 1960s.

So if the heroes of Earth 21 ever meet their dopplegangers on New Earth or Earth 2, will Earth 21 still be back in the 60s or will we see a more contemporary Earth 21 in which the heroes of that Earth have aged?

Earth 22 Alex Ross' Kingdom Come version of the DC Universe, where at least some of the heroes resembled their Earth Two Golden Age counterparts. Has this earth really been destroyed, as reported in Justice Society of America # 11? At least we know Superman survives.

Earth 40 Home of the JSA who were spies during World War II in The Liberty Files and its sequel The Unholy Three. This earth's versions of Batman, Hourman, Dr, Midnite, and the Flash are respectively known as the Bat, the Clock, the Owl, and Mercury. We also have versions of Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Mr. Terrific.

The same question I asked about other earths applies here. If these heroes ever meet their modern dopplegangers will we learn that Earth 40 still exists in a bygone era or does it now exist in the 21st century?

Of course other earths interest me, but I list these for their connections to the Golden or Silver Age, or some other bygone era. These earths especially interest me because I am so retro ( I reuse this phrase at the suggestion of Stephen in a comment on my last post).            

3 Questions About Comics and Me

I am honored to have been tagged by Stephen. This means that at least someone is reading this blog. So here are my answers to the three questions:

1) What was the first comic you remember reading?

The first one I actually remember reading (and not just looking at the pictures) was Wonder Woman 215. Having searched the racks in vain at Piggly Wiggly, all the Batman titles were sold out. But thumbing through this Wonder Woman issue I discovered that Batman had a cameo, as did several members of the JLA.

This was during a run in which a different member of the JLA was special guest star each issue. This time Aquaman had a major role. More heroes for the money seemed like a good deal. So I bought it and read it numerous times. The plot was pretty sophisticated for a fourth grader.

2) What was the first comic that made you realize that you might be in this for the long haul?

That would be Batman 263, published a few months after the Wonder Woman issue mentioned above. This was another Piggly Wiggly purchase. One evening at the supermarket my two younger sisters and I begged our parents to spring for a comic for each of us (though they had gone up to a whopping 25 cents). I remember that one sister (the middle child) chose an issue of Shazam with a talking frog on the cover. I don't remember what our youngest sibling chose--probably some Archie or funny animal comic.

We rode home in the back of our family Oldsmobile trying to read our comics by the glow of the street lights. Those were the days when comic book heroes spent one page ads selling Hostess cupcakes, fruit pies, and twinkies.

I was introduced to Batman via television before I could read. This issue had the Riddler who I recognized from the TV series. I immediately concluded that the comics had become far more sophisticated than the campy TV show. But Robin was absent, which I was not happy about. Well, this issue led to semi-regular purchases of Batman, Detective Comics, and Justice League of America. From there I kept branching out.

3) If you had to make a snap decision to take one comic or comic run to a desert island, what would it be? Don't think too hard!

It would be the Elseworlds limited series, now collected as a trade paperback, called JSA: The Golden Age. Earlier printings are merely called The Golden Age. I picked up the trade while vacationing in a rainy Albuquerque. I had been out of the comics scene for a while. Not caring to commit to any regular titles, I'd occasionally pick up a one shot or a trade.

The Golden Age appealed to me because I am so retro. The cover pictured many of the heroes I had grown to love reading Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron. The Golden Age might even be better. I was engrossed in this book and could not put it down. Not having read it in seven years, I think I'll read it again.

Here is the part where I'm supposed to tag five people. But I can't even think of five other bloggers who I know read this blog. The ones I do know about, I have not seen respond to tags. But if you have a blog, and you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. If you do a post on this, please comment here so I'll know you did.   

Favorite Earths, Part 1

DC Comics has now cataloged a number of the 52 universes in the new multiverse. Here are my favorite multiple earth concepts due to their retro potential:

Earth-2 The original Earth-Two was my favorite earth of all. It was home of the original Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and other big guns who began their careers in the late 30s/early 40s. In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths multiverse, Earth-Two was populated by these older versions of popular DC icons. Their proteges included a graying Robin, the Huntress (daughter of Batman and Catwoman), Power Girl (Superman's Kryptonian cousin), and the orginal Infinity Inc.

The post-52 Earth-2 will be explored in Justice Society of America Annual 1  due this August. This earth will be similar, but not a perfect recreation, of the original Earth-Two. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm hoping that more mature versions of Batman and Superman can exist on this world, without having died and without having been retconned out of existence.

On a recent comic shop visit, I was excited to see some Batman and Superman Justice Society action figures as they appeared in the 70's All-Star Comics and Adventure Comics. This is a part of DC Direct's Reactivated action figures series. Previous collections in the series have included Super Friends and Kingdom Come versions of popular characters. The JSA figures make up the Reactivated series' Super Squad collection.

I'm hoping that these new JSA figures, which also include Hawkman and Wonder Woman, is a good omen--like a pointing toward a reactivation of these characters in comics. The Superman is graying-around-the-temples and the Batman looks like he did as a semi-retired super hero, while as Bruce Wayne he served as Gotham Police Commissioner. Earth-Two's Batman was killed in action in Adventure Comics #462, but I'm hoping that the Batman on this new Earth-2 might still be living.

Again, I'm not holding my breath. But at the very least it appears that Robin will be alive and well and that Huntress will be Batman's offspring. How Power Girl will fit in remains to be seen. This Earth-2 will resemble her former adopted home, but it's not an exact replica. Interesting.             

My Pull List

Sorry I've been away so long. I'll try not to let it happen again. Life has simply got in the way of my blogging, but now I'm back! My About Page is clear that I'm a nostalgia buff and what I collect reflects that.

DC Titles 

All-Star Superman This twelve issue limited series is a great reimagining of the Superman myth. It's reminiscent of the Silver Age stories I grew up reading, coupled with today's more sophisticated story-telling. I hear that this version of Superman may continue beyond twelve issues. If so, I wonder who the artist will be. I can't imagine this title without Frank Quitely.

Since I'm actually a die hard Batman fan, I did collect All-Star Batman and Robin but I quit because..well..it was just stupid.

Countdown to Final Crisis This 51-issue weekly title has been an overall disappointment, but I kept collecting it in hopes that something significant would happen. I was hoping for a more thorough exploration of the new multiverse, but it seems that the earths with any potential were destroyed. The Kamandi origin has been the most interesting thing so far, even if it is a downer. Oh well, one more issue to go. I'm hoping that DC Universe: Zero and the Final Crisis series will be more satisfying. In the meantime, I'll probably have 51 issues for sale.

Justice Society of America  As I've said before, I've been a fan of the JSA since the annual JLA/JSA crossovers. Then All-Star Comics was revived in the 70s. In the 80s it was All-Star Squadron. In 1999 the JSA got their own title and now we have the current title. The JSA has never disappointed me. The Golden Age connection is appealing to a nostalgia buff like me.

Dynamite Entertainment

Project Superpowers  I'm down to this one title from Dynamite which is a revival of obscure Golden Age heroes. Right up my alley. My review is here.

I did collect The Lone Ranger, which likewise appealed to my sense of nostalgia. But this is definitely not my grandmother's Lone Ranger. I was okay with that at first, but after the first story arc I've decided to save my money. This comic just doesn't reflect the traditional values of the original character. So I'm a fuddy duddy. It's also an awfully long time between issues. Hi yo, Silver, Away.

I read the first two issues of Zorro, which excited me at first. But I feel like the origin is being dragged out for too long, has been a little silly in some places, and we haven't been seeing enough of Zorro in full regalia. The 3.50 cover price is also a turn off. I'm not made of money.

Marvel Comics

The Twelve This twelve issue limited series is the only Marvel I read, but I think it's the best comic on the market---bar none. See my review for more details. As with Justice Society of America and Project Superpowers, this one also revives and celebrates Golden Age heroes. My kind of stuff.    

Andy Hardy in Movies, Radio, and Comics

When I was a kid, channel 11, KTVT, in Fort Worth, Texas was an independent superstation in the Southwest (They have since become a CBS affiliate). The Monday night late movies each summer were the Andy Hardy series which I discovered one evening by accident. I've since recorded most of the series off TCM.

Anyhow, I immediately fell in love with the Hardy family who lived the American Dream in the quaint little town of Carville. They were decent, moral, and patriotic people.

The first Hardy family movie was A Family Affair in 1937 which centered around Judge Hardy's entire family. The film was so popular it became a series, with much of the cast being replaced for the series. Lionel Barrymore, the first Judge Hardy, was replaced by Lewis Stone, the quintessential Judge Hardy. It wasn't long before teenage son Andy, played by Mickey Rooney in every installment, stole the show. The films then revolved around Andy's misadventures, including girl trouble, car trouble, and various other "jams." Many of the films have the name Andy Hardy in the title. 

In all there were sixteen Hardy films, with the original series from 1937 to 1946, and a sequel in 1958. The series took Andy from high school through college and beyond. After the series' demise, the Hardy family could be heard on radio in 1949-50.

The final Hardy movie, Andy Hardy Comes Home, was in 1958. A grown and married Andy, now an attorney, comes home to Carville after having been away several years. This film was intended to be a revival of the series as the words "to be continued" appeared on screen during the final scene. But the movie was a box office flop failing to capture the magic of the previous series. Andy Hardy is one of those forever young characters who'll forever be frozen in time as a high school or college boy.

So did Andy Hardy ever have a comic book connection? I'm only aware of one Andy Hardy comic bearing Mickey Rooney's likeness. It's a movie adaptation of the 1946 film Love Laughs at Andy Hardy. It was issue # 3 of Fiction House's Movie Comics. I recently saw a copy on ebay with a Buy it Now price of around $100. A mint copy would be worth over 400 bucks. I guess I won't be adding this one to my collection any time soon.

Dell did about six Andy Hardy comics from 1952-54, but the character doesn't look much like Mickey Rooney. Never having read one of these comics, I don't know how closely it resembles the movie series or if Andy had been updated for the 50s.

I have read that Andy Hardy was the inspiration for the Archie character which may very well be one of the legacies of Andy Hardy. One more comic connection: Ann Rutherford appeared in 13 episodes as Andy's high school sweetheart, Polly Benedict, from 1937-1942. Rutherford went on to marry William Dozier, producer of the Batman TV series.

Only a few Hardy movies are available on video, so you might have to try broadcast television. If you've never seen one, I highly recommend them, especially if you're a 40s nostalgia buff like me. As Andy might say, "They're good clean fun."                        

Revival From Obscurity II: Project Superpowers

The 1940s comics had an endless supply of super heroes, many of whom had vanished into oblivion by the 1950s. As with Marvel's The Twelve, Dynamite's Project Superpowers is another new comic in which Golden Age heroes are revived from obscurity.

In The Twelve, a dozen of Timely's 1940s heroes are awakened after 60 years of cryogenic slumber. In Project Superpowers, various Golden Age heroes are likewise rescued from obscurity. As opposed to sleeping, they have been trapped in Pandora's box (or in this case, Pandora's urn). Most of the heroes to be unleashed have not been seen in the pages of comics for decades. They include such names as The Flame, Black Terror, Samson, and the Green Lama (although short lived revivals have occurred in a few cases).

And then there is Fighting Yank, who just happens to have grown old without being trapped in the urn. It appears that the Yank actually did the trapping, but was perhaps duped into doing it.

Until Project Superpowers, my only exposure to most of these heroes were in cover galleries of comic book price guides. Now I can see these heroes in action. Project Superpowers appeals to my sense of nostalgia, as does The Twelve.

Project Superpowers also has Alex Ross going for it, in charge of plot, covers, art direction, and interior paintings. But he doesn't do the script or interior art.

A couple of interesting points about Superpowers. First, the revived characters were not originally the property of just one company, but they range from Standard, to Fox, to Prize. I wonder if Dynamite had acquired the rights to many of these characters or if a number of these characters had become public domain, which means anyone can use them.

Which brings us to the second interesting point. Both The Twelve and Project Superpowers each have their own unique version of Dynamic Man. But there is no question that each version is based on the same Golden Age hero since in each book his alter ego is Curt Cowan. Until now I had assumed that Marvel owned the rights to all the old Timely characters, but now I wonder if Dynamic Man had fallen into the public domain since both Marvel and Dynamite are reviving him.

And I wonder how true these versions of Dynamic Man will be to the Golden Age hero, who was originally an android (as he appears to be in Project Superpowers). Dynamic Man's alter ego, Curt Cowan, was also an FBI agent in his Golden Age adventures. I wonder if either company will do anything with that or if we'll just forget it ever happened. (I also wonder how an android passed the physical to become an FBI agent).

So far, I'm collecting both books, but The Twelve stands out as the better of the two. Yet I look forward to the revival of more old characters in Superpowers. It appears that we might see a return of Silver Streak, Cat-man (aka, "the Cat") and Kitten, and the Woman in Red, among many others. I'm excited whenever Golden Age heroes get another shot at the limelight.