Down The Rabbit Hole, Part One

Reading the facsimile reprint of the first issue of JLA/Avengers sent me down the rabbit-hole of digging out and re-reading the 1996 DC Versus Marvel/Marvel Versus DC.

Legend has it that the inter-company acrimony stems from fierce competition. What it comes down to is sharing the slices of The Pie. I'm not sure who said it, Joe Quesada or Dan Didio - and I don't mean to demonize either one - but someone is on record as being quoted as saying, "Why do an inter-company crossover where DC and Marvel have to share the profits and proceeds", when we can enjoy the wealth of our labors on our own characters? When Spider-Man and Superman team up, the split is 50/50. Same with Batman and The Hulk and New Teen Titans and Uncanny X-Men.

What's interesting about DC Versus Marvel is that it's the entire line... and it's decided on fan votes.

Didn't anybody learn anything from the 1988 fan-vote Death of Jason Todd? At that time, no one really thought that the fans would kill off Batman's second Robin, Jason Todd. However, they did.

The unfortunate outcome of DC Versus Marvel is that Marvel's characters either tied or bested DC. There's the off-panel battle between Lobo and Wolverine, where Wolverine comes out on top. There's the near stalemate between Batman and Captain America, with serendipity favoring Batman.

Admittedly, I have to read a little more closely, but there's the budding infatuation between Robin Tim Drake and Jubilee that hampers that face-off.

One fan reviewer put it that it's hard to please every individual fan with an outcome, so it may seem that the actual story just sort of stays flat and bland. A Contest of Champions that really has no decisive winner. Yes, there were winners and losers. Storm beat Wonder Woman. Flash beat Quicksilver. Thor beat Captain (SHAZAM!) Marvel. Superman beat The Hulk.

Aside from the battles, it all feels so much like Crisis on Infinite Earths. Realities and worlds hang in the balance for the winners and losers.

My only other gripe, if I'm allowed to is that we get one-offs. We get Ben Reilly. Smart Hulk. Wally West and Kyle Rayner. Maybe mullet Superman. 

I know, it's a minor nitpick. However, just as with JLA/Avengers, we're not really seeing a "Classic" line-up. We're not seeing "Classic" versions of the characters. Further, why not create a single, shared reality where everybody knows everybody? Clark Kent knows Peter Parker - Peter Parker knows Jimmy Olsen. Get passed the familiarity and get right down to a story that affects all the characters.

That seems to be the flaw I find in DC Versus Marvel.

But, that's just one fan's opinion - and you're entitled to it. 

 

 

There's a Kitchen Sink in Here Somewhere! JLA/Avengers 1 Review

 

That is such a beautiful George Perez cover.

The story opens with a prologue featuring Krona searching the multiverse for answers. Krona inadvertently created the multiverse trying to see its origin and beginnings. The viewer he used exploded shattering the universe into a multiverse. As punishment, the Guardians of the Universe on OA transformed him into pure energy and cast him out. He has returned, and in his wake Polechamus and Qward are destroyed along with the realities surrounding them. Ultimately, Krona faces The Grandmaster. 

Later, Terminus shows up in Metropolis. After a pitched battle, the Justice League manage to defeat him. The Spectre (Hal Jordan) whisks the beaten Terminus from their reality. Meanwhile, in New York, The Avengers are battling Starro. She-Hulk, Yellow Jacket, Triathlon, Quicksilver and Thor are among those taken over by Starro's "face hugger" offspring. Carol Danvers manages to free Pietro Maximoff from a face hugger. He provides the breakthrough the team needs. Vision puts a face hugger on Scarlet Witch and through it, she unleashes chaos magic that forces Starro to flee screaming in agony.

Back at their moonbase Watchtower, the Justice League are confronted by The Watcher and The Grandmaster. En Dwi Gast tells the League that they must gather talisman to ward off Krona and save their reality. Wally West uses the Speed Force to send the team to The Avengers reality where they are able to collect the Ultimate Nullifier! Following their encounter with The Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes - with The Atom eavesdropping - encounter Metron, who lists the same talisman that they must gather to save their reality!

The Avengers travel to the Justice League reality, for a return encounter. The Atom follows Metron to where he confers with The Grandmaster...

It almost goes without saying that George Perez's art is spectacular and fabulous. He is legendary from the pages of both teams, having developed his trademark "Patented Perez Rubble". That's how detailed his art is. down to the very rubble. He is aided and abetted by Tom Smith on Colors & Separations, with Comicraft handling lettering. That's amazing as each character has their own lettering voice.

Busiek's story is EPIC! It's COSMIC! It's GRAND and SPRAWLING! It's not just a Justice League or Avengers story. It's not just bringing these two teams together - in conflict, then, possibly in harmony - it spans both the DC and Marvel Multiverses. Before the teams appear, we get to see Arkon and Thundra as well as the Weaponers of Qward and the Crime Syndicate. While Krona is the major bad guy of the story, it also involves The Grandmaster, Metron and The Watcher. There's so much to this story, so much detail, so much thrown in, there's bound to be a kitchen sink somewhere as well. This isn't a light, disposable, forgettable story. This. One. Plays. For. KEEPS!

One the one hand, that's awesome! It's a spectacle of a story. On the other hand, it's hype to the hilt, and possibly teetering on the edge of being bloated and overblown. It's starts with both Superman and Thor chomping, spouting and just plain yelling. It's possible that there's some minor mind-control there, or maybe just a negative reaction to the opposite realities.

This is no small adventure. 

Perez's art is awesome as ever. Busiek's story is huge. It borders on the, "it's not the size of the fish that counts..." it's how you tell this story.

JLA/Avengers 1 earns five stars. 

Archie's T.V. Laugh-Out 79 Review

Archie has been following right along with DC Comics and Marvel Comics with facsimile reprints.

The latest Archie Comics facsimile reprint is Archie's T.V. Laugh-Out 79, from September 1980. The original cover is something of a Jaws tie-in. Archie builds a sand shark at the beach. It's so realistic that Jughead decides to move his snack cooler just a little farther away! It's a hilarious gag. Unusual that it's a two-part, or two-panel gag. Usually, Archie covers feature a single image with just the set-up and the punch line.

What's even more interesting is the Jaws tie-in. The original Jaws film came out in 1975, based on the 1974 Peter Benchley novel. The sequel, Jaws 2 was released in 1978. Jaws 3-D was released in 1983. This 1980 issue falls between Jaws 2 and Jaws 3-D. Perhaps to capitalize on the original cover gag, two variant covers were released to tie into the Jaws theme. Both feature a movie-poster quality. The foil variant features Veronica swimming, with the Jaws shark below.

They are both cool covers.

The first story, Words and Music, finds Reggie up to his usual self-centered, self-promoting antics. He wants to move to a better venue. He thinks Betty and her tambourine are holding him... er, The Archies back. He recommends firing her. He strong-arms playing one of his songs for the club owner checking them out. Half-way through Reggie's song, the club owner uses the restroom! During a break, Betty writes some lyrics. The Archies back her up. The club owner is impressed and signs The Archies - spotlighting Betty! The laugh is on Reggie!

Next up, Alex tries to show up Alan by cooking up something better than pizza. He makes a mess of his Chef's kitchen! The laugh is on Alex, when his chef chooses pizza in the end! The only problem with the Josie and the Pussycats story is that Alex Cabot looks and acts like Reggie Mantle's twin! There really is no way to tell the two apart! It's only when Alex gives his chef the boot from the kitchen that he's different. Even the whole gag of making a mess of the kitchen trying to show up Alan - a one-off himself of Archie - seems like a total Reggie move.

Another fun story is Li'l Archie and Jughead using a goat to mow the lawn when the family mower dies.

The last story finds Sabrina's aunts with a cursed Egyptian statue. Touching it might spread the curse! Harvey scoffs, until one of the aunts uses magic to convince him.

All in all, it's solid, light-hearted comedy from the Archie gang. 

Archie's T.V. Laugh-Out 79, facsimile reprint, earns five stars. For the extra effort on variant covers. Your mileage on that may vary.  

They Put a Spell on You!

Although thrilling and action-packed, Buckler and Giordano's cover for All-Star Squadron 4 is somewhat flat and lackluster. Inexplicably showing the heroes fighting amongst themselves! In-fighting among the greatest heroes of all time! "A Battle You Never Expected!", reads a caption. "The Justice Society of America vs. the All-Star Squadron".

The question Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Len Wein address in this issue is this: with heavy hitters such as Superman, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, The Spectre and Wonder Woman, why wasn't the war over before it even started? Captain America punched Hitler! Chewbacca punched Hitler!

The answer comes in the form of The Dragon King. He has arrived at a secret base in the South Pacific. Hitler has his Spear of Destiny, the legendary and fabled spear that pierced the Savior's side. Apparently, Tojo also has a mystical talisman: the Holy Grail! The jeweled stone cup that the Savior used at The Last Supper before the crucifixion. The power of those talisman holds great magic.

That magic is amplified in the hands of the Axis to warp the minds of the heroes so that they do not directly attack Germany and Japan! Which is a convenient plot device to explain why Superman doesn't just simply crush the Axis powers. Superheroes, like regular folk, fight side-by-side to overcome evil.

The art by Buckler and Ordway continues to shine. Gafford's colors are awesome as is the lettering by Costanza.

It's such a simple out to say that magic keeps the heavy hitters from crushing the Axis, yet it sets the tone and direction of the book. Characters like The Atom, Dr. Mid-Night, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle and Robotman might be able to invade Europe or Asia, which would make for a dramatic, gripping adventure. The Big Guns maybe not so much.

All Star Squadron 4 earns four stars.    
 

Like Sands in an Hourglass...

Another outstanding cover! Buckler and Giordano capturing the All-Stars fighting Solomon Grundy, while Degaton stands by commanding!

This issue is all about dialogue. Degaton recaps everything that happened in the previous issue. It's fun to bask and enjoy his endless monologuing, while following the distinct voices of Wotan, Professor Zodiac, Grundy and The Shining Knight. The spouting between all of these characters is just a word soup. Then there's the slang of the other All-Stars mopping up the zombie Japanese Zeroes.

As the heroes manage to turn the tide, the bad guys start turning and feeding on each other. Wotan and Zodiac abandon Degaton to get their own revenge on their adversaries. Eventually, Grundy does the same. 

The action comes together somewhat smoothly. A casual remark means that Hawkman, Johnny Quick and Robotman were able to follow markers to catch up to the rest of the group. 

Zodiac's dropped vial conveniently falls on The Spectre, allowing him to free the rest of the captive heroes. Some details feel slightly rushed or maybe brushed over. However, Degaton's house of cards does come crumbling down rather quickly when it's clear his plan has fallen completely apart.

It's interesting that once everything is unraveled, everyone forgets Degaton. What all this amounts to is an explanation as to why the Justice Society and Golden-Age superheroes could not prevent that attack on Pearl Harbor. It's a very convenient plot device. Still, a fantastic launch to the All-Star Squadron. Standing firm as patriots and fighting for freedom. One of the reasons why colorful costumed heroes came about in the first place. To inspire.

All-Star Squadron 3 earns four stars. 

Hello, Exposition, My Old Friend... Or, He's Monologuing! The All-Star Squadron 2 Review!

 

Joe Kubert brings the Sgt. Rock, "Our Heroes at War" vibe with the cover to All-Star Squadron 2! A scene leaping from inside, shows Robotman, The Atom, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Hakman and Plastic Man ripping apart one Japanese Zero from an aerial squadron over the ocean! 

Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler's story picks up from the next moment from the end of the previous issue. It is the morning of December 7th, 1941, "... a day that will live in infamy!" The historic Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Atom and Hawkman, founding members of the Justice Society are leaving FDR and the White House with Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Plastic Man and Robotman. They're being sent off to the West Coast to prevent further Japanese attacks.

This issue is actually jam-packed! 

Leaving the White House, the All-Stars come across looters taking advantage of the day's confusion and hysteria! Boom! Stopped!

On their flight west, Hawkman suggests that they reveal their identities to one another in order to build trust and camaraderie. Over the next four pages - one panel per hero - each one reveals the briefest of Secret Origins!

And then, Degaton monologues! He waxes egotistical and reveals his whole plan to Sir Justin and Danette Reilly!

The story is a veritable dump of information! Degaton catches everyone up on his many plots, leading to this current plan to divide and conquer! If he alone isn't a pure, devious genius, he's assembled a crew fitting and worthy: Grundy, Professor Zodiac, Sky Pirate and Wotan! Degaton even gets a Fact File page! This is Degaton's third attempt at world domination. 

Len Wein is to be complimented for guiding Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway in how this issue and story unfurls. Carl Gafford provides brighter, more optimistic colors and John Costanza's lettering is less muddy and obscured. Still, newsprint is newsprint. There is an editorial page devoted to more detailed history.

While the exposition and monologuing could be a drawback, it doesn't really slow or bog down the story. It just adds to the drama and intensity. Your mileage may vary on that. There is a nationalism and patriotic vibe that seems quaint, dated and somewhat corny to modern post-Vietnam cynicism.

All Star Squadron 2 earns five stars.

Assembling the Squadron! All Star Squadron 1 Review

 

Rich Buckler's cover is just amazing. Dr. Mid-Nite, Hawkman, and The Atom pouring over photographs of Golden-Age Mystery Men. The cover question "Who Will Be the Heroes of the All-Star Squadron"? Pause for just a moment and consider... "mystery men" and "mystery women" actually posing for photographs, like Hollywood celebrities of the day! Between Hawkman and The Atom is a photograph of The Golden-Age Batman and Robin. These are not newspaper photographs. These are portraits. Posed portraits. In the foreground is a posed portrait of The Spectre. Now, granted, it is possible that a shutterbug might catch one of these colorful figures off-guard. All of the photos on the cover feature the heroes smiling at the camera. Even The Dynamic Duo seem to be caught in a pose, although whether they're smiling is hard to tell. This is going to be a fun book to read, simply because no matter what happens inside, no matter how serious, dramatic or Earth-shattering, the heroes will face it with a positive "can-do" attitude. These heroes will face the hard knocks and shrug each one off with a wink and a smile! These are not angsty, navel-gazing costumed vigilantes... except for Vigilante.

Roy Thomas' "The World on Fire!" opens with Hawkman returning to the Justice Society of America headquarters, where he runs afoul of - - Plastic Man!? A quick recap recounts Solomon Grundy overpowering The Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman; Professor Zodiak capturing The World's Finest team of Batman and Robin along with Superman; Wotan capturing Dr. Fate and The Spectre; and Sky Pirate capturing Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt along with The Sandman and Starman! Hawkman, Dr. Mid-Nite and The Atom faced and bested The Monster! On their way to Washington, Hawkman and Plastic Man encounter King Bee! They quickly best him and his winged henchman!

Elsewhere, Sir Justin, The Shining Knight and Danette Reilly are captured by Per Degaton and his crew!

All these events lead up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

At the White House, Hawkman and Plastic Man are joined by Robotman, The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle! They are commissioned as The All-Star Squadron and head to San Francisco to head off saboteurs and ultimately stop Degaton!

Buckler and Ordway's art is just simply Golden-Age eye-candy. On newsprint, John Costanza's lettering is somewhat muddy and blurred. Carl Gafford's coloring is top-notch. Len Wein guides creators Roy Thomas and Buckler to a thrilling, enjoyable story.

The Greatest Generation saving the world earns five stars.