Pop Culture Chronicles

JSA Chronology 1

I've decided that from time to time I am going to trace the history of the JSA from their beginning up until the new 52 began. This will be about the real Justice Society of America (mainly pre-crisis) and not the new 52 impostors. 

The first comic appearance of the JSA was of course in All-Star Comics #3 back in 1940, but the origin of how the team came together was not told until the 1977 DC Special #29. The book is so important that my very-good to fine copy is probably worth around $40. To give an idea of the era, the front cover has a blurb about a contest to be in the Superman movie (the one with Christopher Reeve). The slash page pictures the JSA line-up from the 70s revival of All-Star Comics being published at the time. 

The story is set in the winter of 1940 and the team actually comes together at the instigation of FDR who has heard about a number of mystery men appearing all over the country. They are just the ticket to prevent Hitler's planned invasion of England. So Batman, Green Lantern, and the Flash are summoned to Commissioner Gordon's office and then dispatched to Europe. They are later joined by Dr. Fate, Hourman, Sandman, the Atom, Hawkman, and the Spectre. Superman appears before the story is over. Both FDR and Hitler play prominent roles. I loved it as a kid when real people appeared in comics and I still love it when the stories told are historical fiction which interplay with real historical events. The editorial claim on a text page of the book is that Hitler really did plan an invasion of England, but for some unknown reason did not go through with it. The untold story is here. 

So here is a sample of retroactive continuity which Roy Thomas later popularized with All-Star Squadron, but I am uncertain whether he coined the term. Retroactive stories fill in some of the continuity gaps from bygone eras, this one telling of the JSA's formation. So obviously my reviews of the JSA chronology will include retroactive stories as opposed to a mere chronological publishing order.

The art by Joe Staton and Bob Layton is very good. The story by Paul Levitz (one of my favorite writers) is passable, but he is naturally a much better writer now than back then. Portions of the story are a bit juvenile by today's standards, but this was the era when kids still read comics. There is an over-reliance on Dr. Fate's magic to bring a second wave of heroes to Europe and to foil Hitler's unmasking of Batman. Hitler, in the original Earth-Two' s DC Comics, was a collector of relics which he employed for superstitious means. In this story the spear of destiny (which pierced Christ's side) is used to summon an army of Valkyries on winged horses to battle the JSA. This does fit Hitler's obsession with Aryan myths, but I would be interested to research whether he was truly superstitious. I've heard that horoscopes were a thing with him. I owe my being an amateur World War II buff to my reading of JSA and Invaders adventures in my youth.  

DC Special #29 was more recently reprinted in the 2006 trade paperback Justice Society, Volume 1, including the Neal Adams cover, but minus the text page.     

Tarzan

Tarzan has been in the comics for about as long as comics have been around. Some of the earlier comic book stories were reprints of newspaper strips. Titles like Tip Top Comics (1936), Comics on Parade (1938), Large Feature Comic (1939), and Sparkler Comics (1941) featured Tarzan stories.

The most popular Tarzan series spanned at least three publishers running from 1939-1979. Dell published the Tarzan title from 1939-1947 for 131 issues. Issues 132-206 appeared under the Gold Key label from 1948-1972. DC Comics continued the numbering with 207-259 (1972-1977). Then Marvel secured the rights to Tarzan with renumbering starting in 1977, running for 29 issues and three annuals. 

The Tarzan comic series often complimented the Tarzan movie series which was produced during many of the same years. In addition to various stand-alone Tarzan movies, the movie series starred the following actors in the lead role: 

- Johnny Weissmuller [12 movies] (1932-1948)

- Lex Barker [5 movies] (1949-1953)

- Gordon Scott [6 movies] (1955-1960)

- Jock Mahoney [2 movies] (1962-1963)

- Mike Henry [2 movies] (1967-1968)

- Ron Ely [2 movies] (1970) 

Several of these actors appeared as Tarzan on photo covers of the comics. The Dell series featured Lex Barker on the covers from issues 13-54 and Gordon Scott from issues 80-110. Gold Key featured Ron Ely on at least four covers (162, 165, 168, 171). To my knowledge, Johnny Weissmuller, the most popular Tarzan never appeared on a comic cover. Some fan sites have mistakenly listed him as pictured on Dell covers, but these pictures are actually of Lex Barker who bore some resemblance to Weissmuller.  

The Tarzan comics have boasted such artistic talent as Hal Foster, Jesse Marsh, Joe Kubert, and John Buscema. The 80s were slow years for Tarzan in both movies and comics, with highlights including the 1984 Greystoke movie and Marvel's accompanying adaptation. A seven issue mini-series was published by Malibu Comics in 1992-93. The mid-nineties through early 2000s found Dark Horse with the licensing to Tarzan including comics series and an excellent mini-series in which Tarzan teamed with Batman in an Elsesworlds story set in 1939.

Tarzan has mostly been absent from the movies with exceptions including the live action feature Tarzan and the Lost City starring Casper Van Dien and Disney's animated 1999 feature which brought Tarzan back into vogue (though its TV and video sequels were quite bad).

Dynamite Entertainment published a 15-issue Tarzan series titled Lord of the Jungle in 2012-13. Tarzan may now have a new lease on life in the movies with a new Tarzan feature scheduled for release in 2016. It stars Alexander Skarsgard as Tarzan and Margot Robbie as Jane. I'm hoping this movie will breath new life into Tarzan while being grounded in the source material. Perhaps this will launch a new franchise.  

Superman and Superwoman

I loved the team-up comic titles when I was growing up in the 70s. These books teamed A-lister super-heroes with monthly guest-stars. There was Marvel Team-Up which paired Spiderman with monthly co-stars and Marvel Two-in-One which did the same with the Thing. There was Brave and the Bold over at DC which teamed Batman with other heroes throughout the multiverse and DC Comics Presents which did the same with Superman. 

I especially liked the annuals of DC Comics Presents, the first of which teamed the Man of Steel with his Earth-Two Golden Age doppelganger as they fought Ultraman of Earth-Three. The third annual teamed Superman with Captain Marvel, his Earth S counterpart. It was interesting that these two would team up since decades earlier National Periodical Publications (now DC Comics) sued Fawcett (owners of Captain Marvel) for copyright infringement because Captain Marvel seemed too much like a Superman knockoff. DC has now had the rights to Captain Marvel for over 40 years, having purchased Fawcett's super heroes.

I recently picked up the second Annual at a comic show for one dollar. It guest-starred a female derivative of Superman called Superwoman. The story is juvenile by today's standards, written by Elliot S! Maggin. The art by Pollard and DeCarlo is passable. I will say, to the story's credit, that the mystery of Superwoman's secret identity kept me guessing through most of the book, though I should have figured it out. The resolution of a mysterious sub-plot regarding Superwoman's genealogy was one I didn't see coming at all, but again, I should have. 

The alter-ego of Superwoman in this comic hasn't been the only character to wear the Superwoman moniker throughout DC's history. The first was Lois Lane beginning in 1943. Lois would either gain super powers temporarily, or in a dream, or in an imaginary tale, or in an alternate reality created by Mxyzptlk magic. A more recent story with Lois as Superwoman was in All-Star Superman #2. Another Superwoman was Luma Lynai of the planet Staryl.

The Superwoman of Earth-Three has the alter ego of Lois Lane and the Amazon powers of Wonder Woman. She is part of the villainous Crime Syndicate. She is the most mainstream Superwoman in the current DC multiverse. 

Another Superwoman, Laurel Kent, resides on Earth-11, a planet of reversed-gender characters. She appeared in Superman/Batman #23 (2005) and in Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Superwoman/Batwoman one-shot. 

In the post-crisis pre-52 universe, Dana Dearden, an obsessed Superman fan temporarily became a Superwoman through the power of stolen artifacts. Lucy Lane had taken on the role of Superwoman for a short time in that same universe.

Phantom Lady Returns

After the short-lived Ajax-Farrell series, Phantom Lady disappeared from comics except for some Matt Baker reprints in I. W. Publications' Great Action Comics and Daring Adventures. But there were no new Phantom Lady stories from 1955 until 1973. DC Comics had bought the rights to the Quality Comics characters in 1956 which included Phantom Lady.

Her first DC appearance was in Justice League of America # 107-108 during an annual JLA/JSA crossover event. The heroes of Earth's One and Two traveled to Earth-X, home of the Quality characters on a world where the Nazis had won World War II. The super-hero team of this earth included the Quality characters Uncle Sam, Black Condor, Doll Man, Phantom Lady, The Ray, and the Human Bomb. They were known as the Freedom Fighters who were aided by the JLA and JSA in finding the mind-controlling devices that kept the world in submission to the Third Reich. It's kind of corny and if the same premise of a parallel world where the Nazis won WW II were used today, the story would be undoubtedly more sophisticated.

DC took Phantom Lady back to her original yellow and green colors, but retained something of the plunging neckline contributed by Matt Baker (although not as extreme). The Freedom Fighters received their own title in 1976, America's bi-centennial. What better time to return Uncle Sam to the pages of comics as a super-hero? In the Freedom Fighters series the team had relocated to Earth-One. The final issue (#15, 1978) included an origin of Phantom Lady, for the first time.

By 1981 she was a recurring member of Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron, which took place on Earth-Two during the war years, coinciding with Phantom Lady's original stories in Police Comics. Her past was retconned to make her a cousin of Ted Knight (a.k.a., Starman). It was during this era that the Freedom Fighters relocated to Earth-X where they were later met by the JLA/JSA in 1973. 

When all the Earths of the Multiverse were merged into one during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Earth-X was retconned out of existence. An older, post-crisis Phantom Lady appeared in Damage (1994) in which it was revealed that Sandra Knight had married Iron Munro, whose character was an analogue to the Golden Age Superman in the post-crisis 1940s. Knight served as a government spy during the Cold War and later became head mistress of a school for female spies.

Her students included Dee Tyler who became the new Phantom Lady whose adventures were chronicled in Action Comics Weekly # 639-641. Tyler joined a new version of the Freedom Fighters and died a violent death in Infinite Crisis # 1 (2005).

In the Post-52 multiverse a new version of Freedom Fighters, including Phantom Lady, resided on Earth-10 as a one-panel cameo in the final issue of 52 made clear. To my knowledge we never got to see this team in action. There was, however, another version of Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters which resided on New Earth, appeared in two mini-series, and included a new Phantom Lady, Stormy Knight (not a relative of the original).

The last appearance of Sandra Knight, of which I'm aware, was in the final issues of Birds of Prey, vol.2, #14-15. Here an elderly Sandra appears with Black Canary and Lady Blackhawk in a modern adventure which parallels an earlier, but yet untold, adventure told in flashbacks. The flashback story took place in 1950 as Phantom Lady, the original Black Canary, and Lady Blackhawk battle a Nazi war criminal. Manhunter, Kate Spencer, also appears in this issue. She was revealed to be Phantom Lady's granddaughter in Manhunter # 23 (2006).

Since the latest DC reboot, Flashpoint, we now have the new 52 multiverse. Time will tell whether Sandra Knight ever even existed in this new reality. 

Now we have a new Phantom Lady, Jennifer Knight, who currently appears in her own mini-series along with Doll Man. Knight is a freelance writer, daughter of investigative reporter Harry Knight who was murdered to keep him from exposing a prominent crime family. Jennifer becomes Phantom Lady to avenge her father's death.

She is aided by Doll Man, Dane Maxwell (the original was Darrell Dane), a techno-whiz, who provides her with a costume and special technology. In addition to being able to cast black light via special gloves, she can also take on a phantom state, project hard light objects, and trap victims in an eerie blacklight nothingness.

The new series is well written by the team of Gray and Palmiotti with very good art by Cat Staggs and an awesome first issue cover by Amanda Conner. The dialogue is good and sometimes hilarious, the story as believable as possible for a super hero comic.

In this series it's revealed that Dane and Jennifer have had something of an intimate relationship that is taken more seriously by Dane, but Jennifer is gradually coming around. The series takes place in Metropolis (like they need another super hero), so it will be interesting to see how all this fits in to the larger DC universe. There is also hope for a revisioned Freedom Fighters since Uncle Sam and the Ray have made a cameo in this series. I've always been a Phantom Lady fan and aside from some of the modernisms I dislike in today's comics, this series is not a disappointment and perhaps the most interesting that I'm currently reading.    

Mission: Impossible

My family is currently enjoying the original Mission: Impossible TV series on Netflix streaming video. We started with the fifth season due to recognizable cast members and faster-paced plots than previous years. We've now completed that season. The fifth season is notable for having Leonard Nimoy, Leslie Ann Warren, and Sam Elliott together on the IMF team. This has led me to start researching the series and here are some things I learned:

1) Peter Graves did not join the cast until season 2, replacing Steven Hill as Dan Briggs, the original IMF leader.

2) Sam Elliott (Doug) was brought in to replace Peter Lupus (Willy) who contemplated quitting the show. Elliott was assimilated into the cast appearing in episodes alongside Lupus with Elliott listed as a guest star. Elliott's appearances in episodes without Lupus had Elliott replacing him in the opening credits. Once producers recognized Willy's popularity, Elliott was dropped and Lupus' complaints about his character's screen time were remedied.  

3) The Mission: Impossible comic book ran five issues in 1967-1969. Issue 4 had the only photo cover with Peter Graves and was the only issue featuring the Jim Phelps character. Issue 5 was a reprint of issue 1. The comic only coincided with the first two seasons of the show. 

4) During the fourth season, there was no female regular, but only female guest stars as IMF agents. The only recurring female agent was Lee Meriwether who appeared as Tracey in four episodes. She is loved by comic fans as Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie.    

5) Barbara Bain, who played Cinnamon Carter in seasons 1-3 reprised her role for an episode of Diagnosis: Murder titled Discards in 1997. Both Bain and her character, Cinnamon, had earlier careers as fashion models. 

6) There was a revival series running on ABC from 1988-1990. Peter Graves was the only regular cast member from the original series, although Greg Morris (Barney) and Lynda Day George (Casey) reprised their original roles in guest appearances. Morris' son, Phil, was a regular on the revival series. The original series was on CBS from 1966-1973.  

Here are just a few more interesting facts: 

1) Female IMF agents appearing in multiple episodes include Barbara Bain (Cinnamon) seasons 1-3; Lee Meriwether (Tracey) season 4; Leslie Warren (Dana) season 5; Lynda Day George (Casey) seasons 6-7; and Barbara Anderson (Mimi) season 7.

2) Greg Morris and Peter Lupus were the only actors to stay with Mission: Impossible its entire run, although Lupus was absent for much of season 5.

3) Leaonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock on Star Trek) played The Great Paris on seasons 4-5, replacing Martin Landau who appeared in seasons 1-3.

Mission: Impossible is one of the true classics and a true original. It also had one of the best themes of all time.   

Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos

I have many fond childhood memories of reading Silver and Bronze Age comics. One of those is Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, a premiere war comic of that era. My Sgt. Furys were so beat up by the time of my adulthood that I sold them cheap in a garage sale. Well, I found some good condition copies cheap at another garage sale allowing me a return to those nostalgic retro days. Here is a survey of three issues I just read back to back which gives a good overview of what to expect in this series. 

Sgt. Fury # 51 - (1967) This one is from the Gary Friedrich / Dick Ayers run. Friedrich and Ayers both found their signature series on this book. I met Friedrich at a comic convention where some signed back issues were reasonably priced at his booth. I was unemployed at the time, but if that were to happen again I'd snatch them up. Anyhow, issue # 51 takes place in England, Germany, and the Middle East. In the latter location the Howlers must protect Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin from a Nazi assassin. This story explores some of the negative impact of the Nazi regime on German families during World War II. 

Marvel was ahead of its time on such stories with emotional and human interest appeal. Marvel was also the leader in sub-plot continuity which companies like DC typically lacked at the time. But in this issue we learn that a member of the Howlers is currently a P.O.W. in Japan and another is struggling with a break-up from his girlfriend. The stories were good enough for an adult to read, but without the gore and profanity you could expect today. They were also educational regarding WW II history. 

Sgt. Fury # 92 - Written by Al Kurzrok, this one deals with the plight of Japanese Americans during the War. While some fought heroically for their adopted country, others were confined to internment camps. This was quite an issue for an early 70s comic. But Sgt. Fury says to a Japanese family, "Someday...I guarantee you that most Americans will look back on these camps and hang their heads in shame." Fury shows that he was ahead of his time as a WW II caucasion American, but the comic published in 1971 was even long before compensation and formal apologies were given to affected families. 

A back-up story reprints one from the earlier Roy Thomas run in which the Howlers must rescue their Captain Sawyer from an S. S. stronghold in occupied France as the S. S. attempts to extract information regarding the upcoming D-Day invasion. I love the references in conversation to the stars of the day such as Johnny Weismuller and the Three Stooges.    

Sgt. Fury # 120- Pictured here, this was the final issue of new material before the exclusive reprint run going through # 167. This 1974 story features Larry Lieber on the story and Dick Ayers on the art. By this time Roy Thomas is editing. The story deals with the capture of Gabe Jones, the only African-American member of the Howlers. This special force was well integrated, also including an Englishman, a Jew, an Irishman, a Southerner, and fictional movie star Dino Manelli. Any of these guys would lay down their lives for the others. Troops weren't really integrated in this manner during the War, but the Howlers served as good role models for readers. in this issue, they plan a rescue from a concentration camp in Holland.   

Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos were good role models in an educational War era comic that is even fit for all ages. Back issues, especially from the reprint era won't usually break the bank and two volumes of Marvel Masterworks have been dedicated to the Holwing Commandos.             

Return of Barnabas Collins

You just can't keep a good vampire down! The Dark Shadows TV series has spawned many multi-media spin-offs including movies, comics, board games, novels, and audio plays on cd. In a post entitled Retro Revival in the Fall of 08, I expressed eager anticipation at the coming of Kolchak Tales Annual # 1 with guest-star Barnabas Collins.  

It was all I hoped it would be: a suspenseful story which accurately captured the mood of both the Night Stalker and Dark Shadows TV series. Both Kolchak and Barnabas were portrayed in perfect character and the artist's renditions of these characters looked like the actors who played them on television. The cover art was awesome!

My aforementioned post was mistaken when I assumed that this was the only appearance of Barnabas in comics since the 70s. It was, however, the only appearance of Barnabas in actor Jonathan Frid's likeness since the 70s. There was a four-issue comic mini-series in 1992 and 93 which coincided with the short-lived Dark Shadows revival series featuring Ben Cross as Barnabas. 

At any rate, in addition to the recent return of Barnabas Collins in 2009's Kolchak Annual, where else might the aristocratic vampire be showing up in the near future? First, Hermes Press will be reprinting the entire Dark Shadows comic book series originally published by Gold Key from 1969-1976. These volumes willl be in hardcover archives format and will hopefully be released next month. 

Second, Johnny Depp has signed on to play Barnabas Collins in a big screen version of Dark Shadows. Depp says it's a dream come true given his love for the character and for the original series. I personally cannot wait to see one of my favorite actors playing one of my favorite characters.  

Third, the entire Dark Shadows TV series is available from Netflix with some seasons in streaming video and others in DVD format. The entire revival series is also on DVD. So if you're looking for a Dark Shadows fix, help is on the way.

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.