Month: September 2011

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Mome 22


By various (Fantagraphics Books)
ISBN: 978-1-60699-395-8

Mome was a quarterly compendium of sequential narratives; a magazine that looked like a book, featuring strips, articles, graphic artworks and sometimes interviews from and about a variety of talented, dedicated creators ranging from the internationally renowned to the soon-to-be. It was where the smart kids with the sharpest pencils, shiniest pens, biggest brushes and best software went to play before they blew our minds in great big award-winning graphic novels. It was intense, sometimes hard to read and crafted to the highest production standards.

I’m using the past tense here because tragically the amazing anthological compendium closes with this bonanza-sized final edition after six eye-popping, parameter-expanding years: another economic casualty of those globalizing fat-cat banking bastards… curse them all and the artificially-expensive, sweat-shop produced shoes they smugly skulk in!

With a promise that the unfinished serials will eventually be concluded in their own graphic novel compilations this last bombastic book opens with an ending – of sorts – for Kurt Wolfgang’s delicious ‘Nothing Eve’ expediently assisted by self-professed “art-whore” Jordan Crane, after which Chuck Forsman produces a moving stand alone rumination on the young Freelancer’s existence in ‘Francis’.

Guns ‘n’ Roses, Kiss and other rock-god types get a working over in a number of hilarious single page assaults by Steven Weissman beginning with ‘Soup ‘n’ ½ Sandwich’ followed by Sara Edward-Corbett’s captivating childhood paean ‘The Blunderous Companion’ and Laura Park’s darkly wicked ‘George’.

Tom Kaczynski proffers some sage movie-making advice in ‘Music for Neanderthals’, Weissman describes an ‘Appetite for Delicatessen’ and Joe Kimball spectacularly reveals the magic of the ‘Secret Hand’ after which ‘Ham ‘n’ Tashen’ follows, taking Weissman’s musical obsession to ludicrous heights – and depths…

The wildly imaginative fable ‘Simon Magus’ by Jesse Moynihan is followed by a too-brief fourth instalment of The (Shaun) Partridge in the Pear Tree & Josh Simmons’ fantasy-epic ‘The White Rhino’ (we’ll have to wait for a conclusion in the promised graphic novel one day) and a powerful tale of the dangers of “going native” in ‘Hero of Science’ by Malachi Ward, whilst Eleanor Davis recounts a poignant tale of loss and abiding endurance in ‘Nita Goes Home’…

James Romberger shocks and delights with the daring ‘Loving Bin Laden’ after which and extra-long chapter by Derek Van Gieson & Michael Jada concludes the moody World War II mystery ‘Devil Doll’. Weissman resurfaces with ‘Chinese Chicken Salad Democracy’ before Tim Lane presents an earnest biographical tale of a WWII ‘Belly Gunner’ and Nate Neal scrupulously examines the pros and cons of ‘Death’…

Josh Simmons waxes theological with ‘We Enjoyed Many Adventures’ and then joins Wendy Chin to relate the salutary endings of ‘Axl & Jim’. Following Weissman’s (?) ‘Peter Criss Diary’ come Anders Nilsen’s contemplative collage ‘Lists and Commentary’ whilst in ‘Sir Alfred’ film director Hitchcock’s life and work endures a delightful cartoon roasting by Tim Hensley, and Weissman strikes again with ‘Jews Your Illusion’.

Lille Carré delights and enthrals with ‘Into the Night’, T. Edward Bak’s pictorial biography of 18th century German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller forges ever onward in ‘Wild Man Chapter 3: Beasts of the Sea part 2’ (another saga to be concluded elsewhere) and Nick Drnaso’s ‘Keith or Steve’ wittily explores the suburban lifestyle. ‘List of Lasts’ by Joseph Lambert captivatingly captures our childhood obsessions before Paul Hornschemeier beguiles and enthrals with ‘Amy & Paul’ and Sergio Ponchione reprises his marvellously madcap horror-hunter Professor Hackensack with ‘Fear, Thy Name is Foursquare!’…

Malachi Ward resurfaces with philosophical future history ‘1211N.E. (New Era)’ and Nick Thorburn contributes a recollection of music festival fun in an untitled piece before Dash Shaw shows everybody up with another oddly enticing adaptation of TV at its worst in ‘Blind Date 3’ (“an adaptation of an episode of Blind Date”) after which Ted Stern’s anthropomorphic sad-sacks Fuzz & Pluck return in their ongoing nautical quest for wealth and safety with the fifth chapter of ‘The Moolah Tree’ – one more to wait for in album format…

‘Suburban Love Tales, Number 10, Page 3’ is a moody midnight encounter from Jim Rugg, Victor Kerlow offers a growing peril in ‘Oh Man’, Noah Van Sciver details both sides of the story in ‘Roommates’ and the wonderment sadly ceases with a true hard knocks tale in ‘Unlucky’

With bios of contributors and a full list of all who’ve graced this glorious project over the last six years the experiment ends but even though gone this superb, bold endeavour mustn’t be forgotten. There are plenty of places to still find back issues and these tomes – especially this double-sized delight – would make captivating Christmas presents.

Mome © 2011 Fantagraphics Books. Individual stories are © the respective creator. All rights reserved.

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The Hidden


By Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books)
ISBN: 978-160699-385-6

Richard Sala is a deserving Darling of the Literary Comics movement (if such a thing exists) blending beloved pop culture artefacts and conventions – particularly old horror films – with a soberly effective ability to tell a graphic tale.

He grew up in Chicago and Arizona before earning a Masters in Fine Arts, and after beginning a career as an illustrator rediscovered his love of comicbooks. The potentially metafictional self-published Night Drive in 1984 led to appearances in legendary 1980s anthologies Raw and Blab! and animated adaptations of the series on Liquid Television.

His work is welcomingly atmospheric, dryly ironic, wittily quirky and mordantly funny; indulgently celebrating childhood terrors, gangsters, bizarre events and manic mysteries, with girl sleuth Judy Drood and the glorious trenchant storybook investigator Peculia the most well known characters in his gratifyingly large back catalogue.

Sala’s art is a jolting joy to behold and has graced many outside-industry projects such as work with Lemony Snickett, the Resident and even – posthumously – Jack Kerouac; illustrating the author’s outrageous Doctor Sax and The Great World Snake.

His latest appetising shocker The Hidden returns to the seamy, scary underbelly of un-life with an enigmatic quest tale following the few “lucky” survivors who wake up one morning to discover civilisation has succumbed to an inexplicable global Armageddon, with no power, practically no people and ravening monsters roaming everywhere.

Trapped on in the fog on a mountain, Colleen and Tom emerge into the world of death and destruction before promptly fleeing back to the wilderness. As they run they find an amnesiac bum, who uncomprehendingly leads them to other young survivors with their own tale of terror, a place of sanctuary in the desert and the shocking true secret of the disaster…

Clever, compelling and staggeringly engaging, this fabulous full-colour hardback is a wonderfully nostalgic escape hatch back to those days when unruly children scared themselves silly under the bedcovers at night and will therefore make an ideal gift for the big kid in your life – whether he/she’s just you, imaginary or even relatively real…

© 2011 Richard Sala. All rights reserved.

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Twin Spica volume 8


By Kou Yaginuma (Vertical)
ISBN: 978-1-935654-13-1

The hungry fascination, hopeful imagination and cocksure anticipation of space travel which was an integral component of post-World War II society is the driving narrative engine for this inspiring manga epic from Kou Yaginuma, who first began capturing hearts and minds with his poignant short story ‘2015 Nen no Uchiage Hanabi’ (‘2015: Fireworks’), published in Gekkan Comics Flapper magazine, June 2000).

The author happily expanded and enhanced the subject, themes and characters into a major narrative epic combining hard science and humanist fiction with lyrical mysticism and traditional tales of school-days and growing up.

To recap: diminutive teenager Asumi Kamogawa has always dreamed of going into space. From her earliest moments the lonely child gazed up at the stars with her imaginary friend Mr. Lion, especially at the twinkling glow of Virgo and the alluring binary star Spica. An isolated, serious girl, she lived with her father, a common labourer who once worked for the consortium which built the rockets for Japan’s Space Program.

In 2010, when Asumi was a year old, the first Japanese space-launch ended in utter catastrophe when rocket-ship Shishigō (“The Lion”), exploded: crashing to earth on the city of Yuigahama. Hundreds were killed and many more injured, including Asumi’s mother. Maimed and comatose, the matron took years to die. The shock crushed her grieving husband and utterly traumatised infant Asumi.

In response to the disaster, Japan set up an Astronautics and Space Sciences Acadamy. After years of struggle, in 2024 Asumi was accepted to the Tokyo National Space School and slowly began making real friends like Shinnosuke Fuchuya (who used to bully her as child in Yuigahama), jolly Kei Oumi, chilly Marika Ukita and spooky, ultra-cool style-icon and fashion victim Shu Suzuki. Every day Asumi moved closer to her unshakable dream of going to the stars.

Small, physically weak and very poor, Asumi endures and triumphs. She still talks with Mr. Lion… who might be the ghost of an astronaut who died on the Shishigō…

The individual stories are broken up into “Missions” and this particularly tender and thoughtful eighth volume begins with #39 as the still somewhat aloof Asumi undertakes a devout daily personal ritual – absorbing the wonder of the Heavens at the local Planetarium. Times are changing, however and the venerable old edifice is about to close forever, a victim of economic cuts and dwindling public interest…

Later she rejoins classmates Oumi and Ukita on the school roof for more stargazing. Excitement rises when they think they might have discovered a new supernova…

Mission: 40 concentrates on the rapidly approaching end of semester and exams. Oumi is ill and might not pass, whilst enigmatic Shu reveals yet another hidden talent after being given the shocking news that he is confidentially considered for participation in an American Shuttle mission. Meanwhile, Christmas is coming and Asumi is inexplicably growing closer to a shy and extremely diffident boy from the local orphanage, just when she can least afford distractions. With her workload and part-time job she hardly has time to think as it is…

Mission: 41 continues her concentration-busting whilst we learn some tragic secrets regarding the abusive home life of Mr. Perfect Shu Suzuki and the other girls begin to notice physical evidence of her “imaginary friend”. When the orphan boy reveals he is leaving Japan, Asumi has to make a choice between her current emotions and her life’s dream and it takes a dramatic intervention by rival and “frenemy” Fuchuya to set her straight on what she really needs in the truly heartbreaking Mission: 42…

The orphan boy’s history and astonishing secret is examined in #43 whilst #44 amps up the school pressure and the conflicted Fuchuya recalls an pivotal moment when his fireworks-maker grandfather sparked his own interest in the stars – and Asumi…

The offer to send a Japanese astronaut up with the US shuttle becomes public in Mission: 45 and a fierce competition for the single placement ensues counter-pointed by more agonising reminiscences from Shu and the main storyline concludes in #46 as the previously isolated Asumi realises her life is changing and she has friends she might soon lose…

The going is getting tougher and now that they are all nearing the end of their training, it becomes increasingly, painfully clear to the determined students that the bonds so painstakingly forged are on the verge of being severed. After only one more year, final selections will be made and most of the class will fail and vanish from each other’s lives. A countdown clock is ticking…

Also included here a couple of ancillary tales: ‘Giovanni’s Ticket’ returns to the early years following the Shishigō crash and explores Asumi and Fuchuya’s formative relationship whilst the poignant ‘Guide to Cherry Blossoms’ follows the path to love and examines roads not taken by Kasumi Suzuki (presumably Shu’s tragic other if the dates hidden in the art work are anything to go by) during the highly symbolic spring festival.

The book ends with a wistfully autobiographical ‘Another Spica’ vignette from author Yaginuma’s days as a part-time server on a soft-drink stand in a theme park; one more charming insight into creative minds and unrequited passions…

These deeply moving marvels originally appeared in 2005 as Futatsu no Supika 8 and 9 in the Seinen manga magazine Gekkan Comics Flapper, targeted at male readers aged 18-30, but this ongoing, unfolding beguiling saga is perfect for any older kid with stars in their eyes…

Twin Spica ran from September 2001-August 2009: sixteen volumes tracing the trajectories of Asumi and friends from callow students to competent astronauts and the series has spawned both anime and live action TV series.

This delightful serial has everything: plenty of hard science to back up the informed extrapolation, an engaging cast, mystery and frustrated passion, alienation, angst and true friendships; all welded seamlessly into a joyous coming-of-age drama with supernatural overtones and masses of sheer sentiment.

Hopefully rekindling the irresistible allure of the Final Frontier for the next generation (and the last ones too) Twin Spica is quite simply the best…

These books are printed in the Japanese right to left, back to front format.
© 2011 by Kou Yaginuma/MEDIA FACTORY Inc. Translation © 2011 Vertical, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The Desert Peach – Politics, Pilots and Puppies


By Donna Barr (Mu Press)
No ISBN, ASIN: B0006DK6PA

Donna Barr is one of the comic world’s most singular graphic raconteurs. She always constructs impeccable, fully realised worldscapes to house her stories and tells them with a style and voice that are definitely one-of-a-kind. Her most perfect creations are Stinz Löwhard, the Half-Horse and The Desert Peach, the outrageously “out”, homosexual brother of legendary Ideal German soldier “the Desert Fox” and the star of this effervescent assemblage of sly, dry wit, raucous drollery and way out military madness.

Set in World War II Africa and effortlessly combining hilarity, absurdity, profound sensitivity and glittering spontaneity, the stories describe the daily grind of Oberst Manfred Pfirsich Marie Rommel; a dutiful if unwilling part of the German invasion force of 1940-1943. However, although as capable as elder sibling Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the gracious and convivial Peach was a man who loathed harming anybody physically or emotionally and thus spent his days with the ever-so-motley crew of the 469th Halftrack, Gravedigging & Support Unit of the Afrika Korps, trying to remain stylish, elegant and non-threatening to the men under his command.

He applies the same genteel courtesies to the sundry natives inhabiting the area and the rather tiresome British – not all of whom are party to a clandestine non-aggression pact Pfirsich has in place with his opposite numbers in the amassed Allied Forces…

The romantic fool is also wildly in love with and engaged to Rosen Kavalier: handsome Aryan warrior and manly Luftwaffe ace…

The Desert Peach ran for 32 intermittent issues via a number of publishers and subsequently collected as eight graphic novel collections between 1988-2005. A prose novel – Bread and Swans – and a musical and an invitational collection by other artists entitled Ersatz Peach were also created during the strip’s heyday. A larger compendium, Seven Peaches, collects issues #1-7 and Pfirsich’s further exploits continue as part of the Modern Tales webcomics collective…

Perhaps the real star of these fabulous comedy epics is the Peach’s long-suffering, unkempt, crafty, ill-mannered, bilious and lazily scrofulous orderly Udo Schmidt, whose one redeeming virtue is his uncompromising loyalty and devotion to the only decent officer in the entire army.

This criminally rare second softcover collection reprints issues #4-6, opening with ‘Is There a Nazi in the House?‘ wherein maniacally patriotic, self-appointed political officer Leutnant Kjars Winzig is once more trying to get Udo – or indeed anybody in the mangy collection of rejects comprising the 469th – to read his beloved Führer’s bible of hate Mein Kampf…

Pfirsich steps in before calamity and carnage breaks out but the entire camp is thrown into an even greater tizzy when official notice arrives that a party from Berlin is en route to inspect the Battalion and meet all the devout, card-carrying members of the Nazi Party. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the vile inner-circle elite are looking for a way to embarrass the Peach’s brother: the Fox is an outspoken and vociferous critic of Hitler’s vile crew of toadies and backstabbers…

It seems the Nazi bigwigs have planned well; Pfirsich can’t find a single Party member in the entire camp… even the fanatical Winzig wasn’t dedicated enough to spring for the membership dues…

Last minute salvation comes from a most unlikely source as the least likely individual in Africa admits his shameful secret and impresses the jodhpurred pants off the visiting dignitaries… it appears he joined the Nazi Party in its earliest hours when recruiters were buying beer for anybody who would listen…

This hilarious comedy of errors is followed by the supremely delightful, action-packed ‘Flight of Fancy’ wherein Pfirsich’s personal pilot Von Drachenberg gets in big trouble for secretly re-arming our hero’s peach-coloured reconnaissance plane – the junior Rommel doesn’t approve of guns…

Nevertheless he concedes they have their uses when the plane is involved in a uniquely absurd and breathtaking aerial dogfight with a less than sporting Englishman in a Spitfire. Of course, he far less happy about having to refit the machinegun in mid-flight, thousands of feet above the desert with British bullets whistling about his well-formed pearl-bedecked ears…

Luckily the Peach’s beloved fiancé Rosen Kavalier is also prowling the war-torn skies and this magnificently clever yarn still has plenty of controversy and surprises in store…

‘A Day Like any Other’ concludes the comicbook reprints with a powerfully intriguing moral dilemma for the German misfits when a British sniper takes up lethal residence and begins shooting Pfirsich’s men in disdainful contravention of the non-aggression agreement. Soon the 469th are starting to remember that they are – ostensibly, at least – soldiers with a duty to kill Germany’s enemies and this unwelcome situation is further exacerbated by the arrival of abrasive, militant new medical officer Oberstabsartzt Viktor Eddsel, dumped with the Battalion of Battlefield Embarrassments because he is a specialist in the banned “Jewish science” of psychiatry…

The procession of baroque, bizarre characters and incomprehensible relationships he observes in his first few hours has Eddsel reaching for extra case-history notebooks and good, stiff drinks before the urbane Oberst Rommel takes him tellingly to task…

Also included in this enchanting monochrome compendium is a spectacular new adventure ‘Outfoxed’ relating some character-building episodes in the life of Perfect Warrior Erwin Rommel; such as the momentous day he taught his very young son Manfred how to ride a horse, jump off the high-diving board and dismantle a motorcycle.

Of course, it might have better for all concerned if all these lessons hadn’t been specifically against his beloved Frau Rommel’s orders and objections…

This captivating compendium is completed by another cut-out paper-doll page starring Pfirsich’s airborne inamorata Rosen Kavalier and his assorted uniforms…

Referencing the same vast story potential as Sgt. Bilko, Hogan’s Heroes, Oh, What a Lovely War! and Catch 22, the Desert Peach is bawdy, raucous, clever, authentically madcap and immensely engaging. These fabulous combat fruit cocktails were some of the very best comics of the 1990s and still pack the comedic kick of an embroidered landmine, liberally leavened with situational jocularity, accent humour and lots of footnoted Deutsche cuss-words for the kids to learn.

Illustrated in Barr’s fluidly seductive wood-cut and loose-line style, this book is a must-have for any history-loving, war-hating fun seeker. All the Desert Peach books are pretty hard to find these days but if you have a Kindle, Robot Comics have just begun to release individual comicbook issues for anybody who can get the hang of all this verdammte  science stuff…
© 1990-1991, 1992 Donna Barr. Introduction © 1992 D. Daniel Pinkwater. All rights reserved.

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The Lives of Sacco and Vanzetti – A Treasury of XXth Century Murder


By Rick Geary (NBM/Comics Lit)
ISBN: 978-1-56163-605-1

Master cartoon criminologist Rick Geary returns with another compelling carnival of corruption from his series of graphic novel true-murder mystery reconstructions, combining a superlative talent for laconic prose, incisive observation and forensically detailed pictorial extrapolation with his formidable fascination for the darker aspects of human history.

Geary’s unblinking eye periodically scours the last hundred years or so for his Treasury of XXth Century Murder series, and here exposes one of the greatest and most painful travesties of American justice – a case which took the entire world by storm.

In 1920 a payroll robbery and double homicide in Eastern Massachusetts led to the arrest of two Italian anarchists who were either cunning, ruthless enemies of society, haplessly innocent victims of political scaremongering and judicial bigotry or – just maybe – a little of both….

Another superb black and white hardcover thriller, this captivating capsule history opens as always with a selection of detailed maps of pertinent locales before ‘The Crime’ details how a bloody wages snatch in South Braintree, Massachusetts took place on April 15th 1920. The events are dissected with meticulous care, rich in enticing extra data the local police ignored when picking up two ideal suspects: immigrant left wing activists Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco.

‘The Accused’ details their personal histories, involvement with Anarchist and Socialist groups and their version of the events which led to their arrest on May 5th after which their deeply flawed trial is deconstructed in ‘The Case For the Commonwealth’: paying particular attention to the illegal manner in which the jury was convened, the nature of the witnesses and the prejudices of presiding judge and prominent anti-immigrant advocate Webster Thayer, who declared before, during and after the trial how he was going to “get those Bolshevicki bastards good and proper” and “get those guys hanged”…

The farcical days in court, in which the defendants found themselves as much at the mercy of their own lawyer’s political agenda as the prosecution’s and public’s assumptions and fabrications, is detailed in ‘The Case For the Defense’ and inevitably led to a guilty verdict and death sentences for both on July 14th 1921.

‘The Legal Jungle’ follows the numerous appeals, delays, public campaigns for clemency and stays of execution – paying particularly mordant attention to the unfortunate and peculiar legal procedure of Massachusetts Law which dictated that all appeals in a case must be heard by the judge in the original case – meaning that Web Thayer was “compelled” to rule on his own judgements and directions in the case. Not surprisingly, all appeals were over-ruled…

He even threw out a confession by a professional gangster who came forward and admitted to committing the crime, calling him a “robber, crook, liar and thief” with no credibility whatsoever…

The account closes with ‘A Global Cause’ as the case caught world attention, sparking a massive movement to re-examine the case; its subsequent co-opting as a cause celebre by both fascist and communist national leaders and violent anti-American protest, even riots and bombings in the streets of many countries.

Sacco and Vanzetti, who had always proclaimed their total innocence, were executed on August 23rd 1927, and this stirring chronicle concludes with the events, further facts and arguments that have continued to surface to this day regarding what is still a huge unfinished drama…

Geary presents facts and theories with chilling pictorial precision, captivating clarity and devastating wit and this still broadly unresolved mystery is every bit as compelling as his other homicidal forays: a perfect example of how graphic narrative can be so much more than simple fantasy entertainment. This merrily morbid series of murder masterpieces should be mandatory reading for all comic fans, mystery addicts and crime collectors.

© 2011 Rick Geary. All Rights Reserved.

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Marvel Masterworks volume 14: Captain America from Tales of Suspense 59-81


By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & various (Marvel)
ISBN: 0-87135-630-9   second edition 978-0-7851-1176-4

During the earliest days of Marvel Comics Stan Lee and Jack Kirby emulated the same strategy which had worked so tellingly for National Periodicals/DC, but with mixed results. Julie Schwartz had achieved incredible success with his revised versions of DC’s Golden Age greats, so it was only natural to try and revive characters who had dominated the ailing new kids of Timely/Atlas in those halcyon days of yore. A completely new Human Torch had premiered as part of the revolutionary Fantastic Four and in the fourth issue of that title Sub-Mariner resurfaced after a twenty year amnesiac hiatus (everyone concerned had apparently forgotten the initial abortive attempt to revive the superheroes in the mid-1950s).

Torrid Teen Johnny Storm was promptly given his own solo feature in Strange Tales from issue #101 (as collected in Essential Human Torch volume1) where, in #114 the flaming kid fought a malevolent acrobat pretending to be a revived Captain America. An unabashed test-run, the tales was soon eclipsed when the real McCoy promptly surfaced in Avengers #4. After a captivating and centre-stage hogging run in that title the Sentinel of Liberty was quickly awarded his own series as half of the “split-book” Tales of Suspense, beginning with #59 (after another impostor battled titular star Iron Man in the previous issue).

This magnificent full-colour hardback stirringly re-presents those early short sagas which span the period cover-dated November 1964-September 1966), opening with the initial outing ‘Captain America’, scripted by Stan Lee and illustrated by the staggeringly perfect team of Jack Kirby & Chic Stone: an unapologetic all-action romp wherein an army of thugs invades Avengers Mansion since only the one without superpowers is at home… The next issue held more of the same, when ‘The Army of Assassins Strikes!’, this time attempting to overwhelm the inexhaustible human fighting machine at the behest of arch foe Baron Zemo, whilst ‘The Strength of the Sumo!’ was insufficient when Cap invaded Viet Nam to rescue a captured US airman, after which he took on an entire prison’s population to stop the ‘Break-out in Cell Block 10!’

After these gloriously simplistic romps the series took an abrupt turn and began telling tales set in World War II. ‘The Origin of Captain America’, by Lee, Kirby & Frank Ray (AKA Frank Giacoia – one of an increasing wave of DC stalwarts anonymously moonlighting at the House of Ideas) recounted, recapitulated and expanded the way physical wreck Steve Rogers was selected to be the guinea pig for a new super-soldier serum only to have the scientist responsible die in his arms, cut down by a Nazi bullet.

Now forever unique, Rogers was became a living fighting symbol and guardian of America, based as a regular soldier in a boot camp.

It was there he was unmasked by Camp Mascot Bucky Barnes, who blackmailed the hero into making the boy his sidekick. The next issue (Tales of Suspense #64) kicked off a string of spectacular thrillers as the heroes defeated the spies Sando and Omar in ‘Among Us, Wreckers Dwell!’ before Chic Stone returned for the next tale ‘The Red Skull Strikes!’ in which the daring duo foiled the Nazi mastermind’s sabotage plans in America.

‘The Fantastic Origin of the Red Skull!’ saw the series swing into high gear and switch settings to Europe as sub-plots and characterisation were added to the all-out action and spectacle. ‘Lest Tyranny Triumph!’ and ‘The Sentinel and the Spy!’ (both inked by Giacoia) combined espionage and mad science in a plot to murder the head of Allied Command after which the heroic duo stayed in England for ‘Midnight in Greymoor Castle!’ (with art by Dick Ayers over Kirby’s layouts – rough pencils sketches that break down the story elements on a page). The second part ‘If This be Treason!’ had Golden Age veteran and Buck Rogers newspaper strip artist George Tuska perform the same function. The final part (and the last wartime adventure) was ‘When You Lie Down with Dogs…!’ which added Joe Sinnott inks to the mix for a rousing conclusion to this frantic tale of traitors, madmen and terror weapons…

It was back to the present for Tales of Suspense #72 and Lee, Kirby & Tuska revealed that Cap had been telling war stories to his fellow Avengers for the last nine months. ‘The Sleeper Shall Awake!’ began a spectacular contemporary adventure as a Nazi super-robot was activated twenty years after Germany’s defeat to exact a world-shattering vengeance. Continuing its rampage across Europe in ‘Where Walks the Sleeper!’ before concluding in ‘The Final Sleep!’ this masterpiece of tension and suspense perfectly demonstrated the indomitable nature of the ultimate American hero.

Dick Ayers returned with John Tartaglione inking ‘30 Minutes to Live!’ which introduced both Batroc the Leaper and a mysterious girl who would eventually become Cap’s long-term girl-friend, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, in a taut 2-part countdown to disaster ending with ‘The Gladiator, The Girl and the Glory’, illustrated by John Romita (Senior). This was the first tale which had no artistic input from Jack Kirby, but he laid out the next issue (TOS #77) for Romita & Giacoia. ‘If a Hostage Should Die!’ again returned to WWII and hinted at both a lost romance and tragedy to come.

‘Them!’ returned Kirby to full pencils and Giacoia to the regular inks-spot as Cap teamed with Nick Fury in the first of the Star-Spangled Avenger’s many adventures as a (more-or-less) Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. It was followed by ‘The Red Skull Lives!’ as his arch nemesis returned from the grave to menace the Free World again. He was initially aided by the subversive technology group AIM, but stole their ultimate weapon in ‘He Who Holds the Cosmic Cube!’ (inked by Don Heck) – a device which could rewrite reality with but a whim…

This staggeringly fast-paced, rollercoaster collection climaxes with a classic confrontation in ‘The Red Skull Supreme!’ and concludes with one last breathtaking Cap pin-up by Kirby & Ayers.

These are tales of dauntless courage and unmatchable adventure, addictive and superbly illustrated, which rightly returned Captain America to heights his Golden Age compatriots the Torch and the Sub-Mariner never regained – pure escapist magic.

Great, great stuff for the eternally young at heart, perfectly presented in a sturdy deluxe hardcover edition.
© 1963, 1964, 1965, 1990 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Robotech: the Graphic Novel


By Mike Baron, Neil D. Vokes, Ken Steacy & various (Comico)
ISBN: 978-0-93896-500-8

Robotech was a minor comics phenomenon of the 1980s based on some rather deft marketing of assorted Japanese fantasy exports. Whilst American TV company Harmony Gold was cobbling together and re-editing three separate weekly science fiction anime series (Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA) US model-kit company Revell was selling Japanese mecha kits based on the aforementioned Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Century Orgus and Fang of the Sun Dougram as Robotech Defenders, complete with an all-new English language tie-in comic produced by DC Comics.

A copyright clash resulted in the DC title being killed after two issues after which TV produced Carl Macek and Revell went into limited partnership in a Macross co-licensing deal which saw three shows translated into an 85-episode generational saga wherein Earth was rocked by successive alien invasions decades apart and only saved from annihilation by a fortuitous spaceship crash which had allowed humans to master extraterrestrial Robotechnology.

The American TV hybrid and mecha toy range naturally led to Role Playing Games, novels, an animated movie, art books and comicbooks which have been semi-continuously in print since 1984.

The premise revolved into The Macross Saga – First Robotech War a desperate conflict with giant Zentraedi warriors seeking to retrieve a crashed space craft; Robotech Masters – Second Robotech War wherein Terrans battled a fresh wave of Zentraedi, come to discover what happened to their lost fleet and Robotech Masters or Third Robotech War, with enemies becoming allies to confront an even greater foe: the horrendous Invid – from whom the Robotech Masters originally stole the near-magical, cataclysmic, semi-spiritual power source Protoculture, reverentially worshipped as the Flower of Life and the motivating force behind all Robotechnology….

Comico produced separate titles set twenty years apart (Robotech Macross Saga, Robotech Masters and Robotech the New Generation) from 1984-1989, after which Eternity Comics, Academy Comics, Antarctic Press and WildStorm took up the perennial favourites in their turn.

In 1986, at the height of the furore Comico produced an original oversized 48 page European album format graphic novel plotted by Carl Macek which filled in the heretofore unknown backstory; telling the story of that fateful First Contact when a starship crashed on the island of Macross. It was scripted by Mike Baron, illustrated by Neil D. Vokes & Ken Steacy (with painted colour by Tom Vincent and lettering by Bob Pinaha)…

In ‘Genesis: Robotech’ far away on the other side of the universe SDF-1, a two kilometre long spacecraft is seeding desolate worlds with a unique plant. Unconventional and rebellious Philosopher-Scientist Zor is attempting to grow the energy-rich Flower of Life in soil not sanctioned by his Robotech Masters, over the protests of dutiful warrior-commander Dolza.

This allows the insidious Invid to track them and attack, fanatically attempting to wipe out the Zentraedis who stole their sacred bloom and daily desecrate its holy purpose…

Although temporarily driven off, the Invid fatally wound Zor but not before he dispatches the ship on a pre-programmed jaunt across the universe to a world only he knows of…

On orders from the enraged Masters Dolza returns Zor’s body to the homeworld so any useful information can be extracted from his cells whilst Field Comander Breetai is ordered to take a fleet and follow SDF-1. If Zor has been seeding worlds in secret both the ship and its destination must be found…

It is 1999 on planet Earth and a third global conflict is about to erupt. Brush-wars, resource squabbles and border-skirmishes are occurring everywhere. In the sky above the Pacific fighter pilot Roy Fokker is engaged in another deadly dogfight with mercenary T.R. Edwards which once more ends inconclusively…

Returning to the aircraft-carrier Kenosha Roy meets Senator Russo, Admiral Hayes and his own Commander Gloval who have an intriguing plan to end the faux-war before it ends humanity…

Meanwhile in America a little boy named Rick Hunter is learning flying tricks with his grandfather that will one day save the world when the sky is set ablaze by a vast object. Destined to crash far out in the North Pacific, in its thunderous passing the “meteor” triggers storms and earthquakes, disrupts electronic communications and causes global panic…

All over Earth hostilities cease and a military task force led by Gloval and Fokker, with arch enemy Edwards representing the once-opposition, explore the downed SDF-1, which has crashed on a barren rock once used for atomic testing.

On board the humans discover wonder, horror and the potential to create a golden age on Earth, but unbeknownst to them Breetai’s pursuing force is closing in…

Although designed as an in-filling prequel this is a classy traditional sci-fi romp which happily stands on its own merits for new readers whilst providing added narrative value to any readers – or indeed viewers – familiar with the greater saga it introduces.

Fun and adventure in the grand old space opera manner and superbly easy on the eye, it’s about time these 1980s epics were revisited by a more comics friendly readership.
“Robotech” ™ Revell, Inc. © 1986 Harmony Gold, USA, Inc./Tatsunoko Production Company, Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Fables volume 9: Sons of Empire


By Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Michael Allred, Steve Leialoha & various (Vertigo)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-566-8

Written by Bill Willingham, Fables details the exploits of fairytale and storybook characters that humans always believed to be fictional; living secret, immortal lives amongst us, refugees from a monstrous all-consuming Adversary who had long ago conquered their original otherworldly homelands.

Keeping their true nature hidden from humanity Fables created enclaves where their magic and sheer strangeness (all the talking animals are sequestered on a remote upstate New York farm, for example) keep them in luxurious safety. Many wander the human world, but always under strict injunction not to draw attention. These magical, perfect, cynical yet perversely human creatures dream of one day returning to their own homes and interrupted lives. They used to live with the constant threat that their all-consuming foe would one day find them…

However their nemesis has been revealed as the puppeteer Geppetto, who used his gift to carve living, sentient beings out of magic wood to build vast all-powerful armies (supplemented with goblins, monsters and collaborators who joined rather than die when his unstoppable marionette forces came marching in). Ruling in anonymity from behind his greatest creation, The Emperor, Geppetto almost conquered all of Reality, but once his identity was revealed the indomitable refugees of Fabletown exacted a stunning retaliatory strike that completely changed the nature of the previously one-sided conflict…

Collecting issues # 52-59 of the monthly comic this volume brings everybody up to speed with the always-handy ‘Who’s Who in Fabletown’ featurette before the eponymous four-part Sons of Empire opens with ‘Some Ideas Towards the Prospect of a Final Solution for Fabletown’ (illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha & Andrew Pepoy with colours by Lee Loughridge) in which focus shifts to the otherworldly realm of the Adversary and a Council of War in which the vilest creatures of myth and legend outline their options for retaliation for the indignities recently perpetrated upon them; determined not only to destroy the rebellious Fables but the entire Mundane world as well…

Each chapter is accompanied by a brief vignette starring some of the vast Earth-bound cast beginning with ‘Hair’ (illustrated by Gene Ha) in which the winsome Rapunzel describes her average day, which, since her flowing tresses grow at the rate of four inches per hour is a little different from most fancy-free New York girls…

‘The Four Plagues’ details the Adversary’s final plans whilst at the secluded farm on Earth where non-human Fables must live, newlywed dad Bigby Wolf takes on the task of civilising his and Snow White‘s troublesome brood of shape-shifting cubs, after which a smart and sassy snippet from Joshua Middleton addresses the perennial topic of curse-undoing kisses in ‘Porky Pine Pie’.

The drama switches more fully to Earth in ‘The Burning Times’ as the Evil Empire starts its campaign of doom by opening diplomatic relations with Fabletown, sending one of their own back to them as ambassador.

Once Hansel was a simple, plucky lad outwitting a cannibal sorceress, but as he matured in our world he became a religious maniac, the greatest witchfinder and the most successful serial killer in Earth’s history. …

And what he did to poor Gretel!

Mundy journalist Kevin Thorne almost discovered the secret of Fabletown once, so it’s no real surprise that Hansel and his staff rent his house for their embassy in the Michael & Laura Allred illustrated short feature ‘A Thorn in Their Side?’ and Sons of Empire concludes with ‘Over There’ as Geppetto’s “first-born” Pinocchio inadvertently refines the revenge-scheme until it is infallible and inevitable. The death-drenched scenario is counter-pointed by a delightful whimsy starring the Three Blind Mice on ‘The Road to Paradise’ by Inaki Miranda, with hues by Eva de la Cruz.

Next follows a truly magnificent and revelatory Yule tale as only Fables could present it. ‘Jiminy Christmas’ features Bigby’s Brood learning all there is know about the Big Red Guy at the Pole before this volume digresses into a two-part saga starring the entire Wolf clan. ‘Father and Son’ addresses the family rift between Big Bad Wolf and his sire – the being known as Mr. North or the Great North Wind – with Snow and the cubs along for the tempestuous ride, beginning with ‘A Man’s Home is His Castle’ and concluding in ‘Big Scary Monsters’ as the kids are lost in a forest of ravening beasts with some very uncomfortable and unsavoury family ties, courtesy of Michael & Laura Allred.

The last pages of this fabulous tome are dedicated to more short graphic stories addressing long-asked questions from readers answered in hilarious and terrifying manner by author Willingham and a pantheon of art-stars.

Beginning with ‘Did Hakim Ever Manage to get a Regular Job?’ by M.K, Perker, and ‘How Does Bufkin Keep getting his hands on the Liquor?’ by Jim Rugg, the responses (but not always answers…) come thick and fast.

‘What is Training Like for a new member of the Mouse Police?’ (Mark Buckingham), ‘Did Jack leave anyone messages before he left Fabletown Forever? (Andrew Pepoy), ‘How are the new Three Little Pigs adjusting to being Pigs?’ (JoÑ‘lle Jones), ‘Besides Fly, who else has asked questions of the Magic Mirror?’ (D’Israeli), ‘What is Boy Blue’s Favorite Song?’ and ‘What song was playing when Snow White and Bigby first danced together at the Remembrance Day Ball?’ (both by Jill Thompson), ‘What is Frau Totenkinder knitting?’ (David Lapham), ‘Who was Prince Charming’s first love?’ (John K. Snyder III), ‘How many romantic conquests has Prince Charming had?’ (Eric Shanower) and climaxes with Barry Kitson’s stunning ‘Who caught the bouquet at Snow White’s wedding?’

There is nothing around today that can touch this series for imagination, style and quality, and you’ll never know the real meaning of “happy ever after” until you turn on to this magnificent saga.
© 2006, 2007 Bill Willingham and DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Marvel Masterworks volume 3: X-Men 1-10


By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & various (Marvel)
ISBN: 0-87135-308-3, second edition 978-0-7851-0845-0 (2002)

In 1963 things really took off for the budding Marvel Comics as Stan Lee & Jack Kirby expanded their diminutive line of action titles, putting a bunch of relatively new super-heroes (including hot off the presses Iron Man) together as the Avengers, launching a decidedly different war comic in Sgt Fury and his Howling Commandos and creating a group of alienated heroic teenagers who gathered together to fight a rather specific, previously unperceived threat to humanity.

The X-Men #1 (September 1963) introduced Cyclops, Iceman, Angel and the Beast: very special students of Professor Charles Xavier, a wheelchair-bound telepath dedicated to brokering peace and integration between the masses of humanity and the emergent off-shoot race of mutants dubbed Homo Superior. The story opens as the students welcome their newest classmate, Jean Grey, aka Marvel Girl, a beautiful young woman with the ability to move objects with her mind.

No sooner has the Professor explained their mission than an actual Evil Mutant, Magneto, single-handedly takes over American missile-base Cape Citadel. A seemingly unbeatable threat, the master of magnetism was nonetheless driven off by the young heroes on their first mission in under 15 minutes…

It doesn’t sound like much, but the gritty dynamic power of Kirby’s art, solidly inked by veteran Paul Reinman, imparted a raw energy to the tale which carried the bi-monthly book irresistibly forward. With issue #2 ‘No One Can Stop the Vanisher!’ a Federal connection was established in the form of FBI Special Agent Fred Duncan, who requested the teen team’s assistance in capturing a teleporting mutant who threatened to steal US military secrets.

These days, young heroes are ten-a-penny, but it should be noted that these kids were the first juvenile super-doers in comics since the end of the Golden Age, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that in this tale of a terrifying teleporter the outmatched youngsters needed a little adult supervision…

Issue #3′s ‘Beware of the Blob!’ displayed a rare lapse of judgement as proselytising Professor X invited a sideshow freak into the team only to be rebuffed by the felonious mutant. Impervious to mortal harm the Blob used his carnival cronies to attack the hidden heroes before they could come after him and once again it was up to teacher to save the day…

With X-Men #4 (March 1964) a thematic sea-change occurred as Magneto returned with ‘The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!’ intent on conquering a South American country and establishing a political powerbase. Mastermind, Toad, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch were very much his unwilling thralls in the bombastic struggle that followed, but from then on the callow champions-in-training were the hunted prey of malevolent mutants. ‘Trapped: One X-Man!’ in issue #5 saw early results in that secret war as the Angel was abducted to Magneto’s orbiting satellite base Asteroid M, and only a desperate battle at the edge of space eventually saved him…

‘Sub-Mariner Joins the Evil Mutants!’ is a self-explanatory tale of gripping intensity elevated to magical levels of artistic quality as the superb Chic Stone replaced Reinman as inker for the rest of Kirby’s tenure and genuine narrative progress was made in ‘The Return of the Blob!’ as their mentor left on a secret mission, but not before appointing Cyclops acting team leader.

Comedy relief was provided as Lee & Kirby introduced Beast and Iceman to the Beatnik inspired “youth scene” but the high action quotient came courtesy of the troubled teaming of the Blob and Magneto’s malign brood.

Another invulnerable mutant debuted in ‘Unus the Untouchable!’ a wrestler with an invisible force field who tried to join the Brotherhood by offering to bring them an X-Man. Also notable is the first real incident of “anti-mutant hysteria” when a mob attacked the Beast, a theme that would become the cornerstone of the X-Men mythos.

X-Men #9 (January 1965) is the first true masterpiece of this celebrated title. ‘Enter, the Avengers!’ reunited the mutants with Professor X in the wilds of Balkan Europe, as the deadly Lucifer attempted to destroy the world with a super-bomb, subsequently manipulating the teens into an all-out battle with the awesome Avengers.

This is still a perfect Marvel comic story today, as is its follow-up ‘The Coming of Ka-Zar!’ a wild excursion to Antarctica, featuring the discovery of the Antediluvian Savage Land and the modern incarnation of one of Marvel/Timely’s oldest heroes (Kazar the Great originated in Marvel Comics #1, November 1939). Dinosaurs, lost cities, spectacular locations, mystery and all-out action: it doesn’t get better than this…

These quirky tales are a million miles removed from the angst-ridden, breast-beating, cripplingly convoluted X-brand of today’s Marvel and many would argue are all the better for it. Well drawn, highly readable stories are never unwelcome or out of favour though, and it should be remembered that everything here informs so very much of the mutant monolith. These are stories for the dedicated fan and newest convert, and never better packaged than in this glorious and lavish hardback edition.

These immortal epics are available in numerous formats (including softcover editions of the luxurious and enticing hardback under review here), but for a selection that will survive the continual re-readings of the serious, incurable fan there’s nothing to beat the substantial full-colour feel of these Marvellous Masterwork editions.
© 1963, 1964, 1965, 1987, 2002 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents Robin the Boy Wonder


By Gardner Fox, Mike Friedrich, Frank Robbins, Gil Kane, Irv Novick, Dick Dillin & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-814-0

Robin the Boy Wonder debuted in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940), created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger & Jerry Robinson: a juvenile circus acrobat whose parents were murdered by a mob boss. The story of how Batman took the orphaned Dick Grayson under his scalloped wing and trained him to fight crime has been told, retold and revised many times over the decades and still regularly undergoes tweaking to this day.

Grayson fought beside Batman until 1970 when, as an indicator of those turbulent times, he flew the nest, becoming a Teen Wonder college student. His creation as a junior hero for younger readers to identify with has inspired an incomprehensible number of costumed sidekicks and kid crusaders, and Grayson continued in similar innovative vein for the older, more worldly-wise readership of America’s increasingly rebellious youth culture.

Robin even had his own solo series in Star Spangled Comics from 1947 to 1952, a solo spot in the back of Detective Comics from the end of the 1960s wherein he alternated and shared with Batgirl, and a starring feature in the anthology comic Batman Family. During the 1980s he led the New Teen Titans first in his original costumed identity but eventually in the reinvented guise of Nightwing, re-establishing a turbulent working relationship with his mentor Batman.

This broad ranging black and white compilation volume covers the period from Julie Schwartz’s captivating reinvigoration of the Dynamic Duo in 1964 until 1975 with Robin-related stories and material from Batman #184, 192, 202, 213, 227, 229-231, 234-236, 239-242, 244-246, 248-250, 252, 254 and portions of 217, Detective Comics #342, 386, 390-391, 394-395, 398-403, 445, 447, 450-251, Worlds Finest Comics #141, 147, 195, 200, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #91, 111, 130 and Justice League of America #91-92.

The wonderment begins with the lead story from Batman #213 (July-August 1969) – a 30th Anniversary reprint Giant – which featured an all-new retelling of ‘The Origin of Robin’ courtesy of E. Nelson Bridwell, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito, which perfectly reinterpreted that epochal event for the Vietnam generation. After that the tales proceed in (more or less) chronological order, covering episodes where Robin took centre-stage.

First up is ‘The Olsen-Robin Team versus “the Superman-Batman Team!”’ (World’s Finest #141 May 1964). In this stirring blend of science fiction thriller and crime caper, the underappreciated sidekicks fake their own deaths and undertake a secret mission even their adult partners must remain unaware of… for the very best of reasons of course, whilst the sequel from WF #147 (February 1965, Hamilton, Swan & Klein) delivers an engaging drama of youth-in-revolt as ‘The New Terrific Team!’ quit their assistant roles to strike out on their disgruntled own. Naturally there’s a perfectly reasonable if incredible reason here, too…

Detective Comics #342 (August 1965) featured ‘The Midnight Raid of the Robin Gang!’ by John Broome, Sheldon Moldoff & Joe Giella, wherein the Boy Wonder infiltrated a youthful gang of costumed criminals whilst Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #91 (March 1966) provided ‘The Dragon Delinquent!’ (Leo Dorfman & Pete Costanza) which saw Robin and the cub reporter both, unknown to each other, infiltrate the same biker gang with potentially fatal consequences.

‘The Boy Wonder’s Boo-Boo Patrol!’ originally appeared as a back-up in Batman #184 (September 1966 by Fox, Chic Stone & Sid Greene), showing the daring lad’s star-potential in a clever tale of thespian skulduggery and classy conundrum solving, whilst ‘Dick Grayson’s Secret Guardian!’ from Batman #192 (June 1967: Fox, Sheldon Moldoff & Joe Giella) displayed his physical prowess in one of comicbooks’ first instances of the now over-used exo-skeletal augmentation gimmick.

‘Jimmy Olsen, Boy Wonder!’ (Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #111, June 1968, by Cary Bates & Costanza) saw the reporter try to prove his covert skills by convincing the Gotham Guardian that he was actually Robin whilst that same month in Batman #203 the genuine article tackled the ‘Menace of the Motorcycle Marauders!’ (by Mike Friedrich, Stone & Giella) consequently learning a salutary lesson in the price of responsibility…

Cover-dated April 1969, Detective Comics #386 featured the Boy Wonder’s first solo back-up in what was to become his semi-regular home-spot, alternating with Batgirl. ‘The Teen-Age Gap!’ (Friedrich, Andru & Esposito) depicted a High School Barn Dance which only narrowly escaped becoming a riot thanks to his diligent intervention, but when Gil Kane & Murphy Anderson took over the art-chores for #390’s ‘Countdown to Chaos!’ (August 1969), the series came stunningly alive. Friedrich concocted a canny tale of corruption and kidnapping leading to a paralysing city ‘Strike!’ for the lad to spectacularly expose and foil in the following issue.

Batman #217 (December 1969) was a shattering landmark in the character’s long history as Dick Grayson left home to attend Hudson University. Only the pertinent portion from ‘One Bullet Too Many!’ by Frank Robbins, Irv Norvick & Dick Giordano is included here, closely followed by ‘Strike… Whilst the Campus is Hot’ (Detective #394 from the same month, by Robbins, Kane & Anderson) as the callow Freshman stumbled into a campus riot organised by criminals and radical activists which forced the now Teen Wonder to ‘Drop Out… or Drop Dead!‘ before stopping the seditious scheme…

Detective Comics #398-399 (April and May 1970) featured a two-part spy-thriller where Vince Colletta replaced Anderson as inker. ‘Moon-Struck’ saw lunar rock samples borrowed from NASA apparently cause a plague among Hudson’s students until Robin exposed a Soviet scheme to sabotage the Space Program in ‘Panic by Moonglow’.

The 400th anniversary issue (June 1970) finally teamed the Teen Wonder with his alternating back-up star in ‘A Burial For Batgirl!’(Denny O’Neil, Kane & Colletta): a college-based murder mystery which once more heavily referenced the political and social unrest then plaguing US campuses, but which still found space to be smart and action-packed as well as topical before the chilling conclusion ‘Midnight is the Dying Hour!’ wrapped up the saga.

Never afraid to repeat a good idea, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #130 (July 1970) saw Bob Haney & Murphy Anderson detail the exploits of ‘Olsen the Teen Wonder!’ as the boy reporter again aped Batman’s buddy to infiltrate an underworld newspaper whilst World’s Finest #195 (August 1970) found Jimmy & Robin targeted for murder by the Mafia in ‘Dig Now, Die Later!’ by Haney, Andru & Esposito.

Simultaneously in Detective #402, ‘My Place in the Sun’ by Friedrich, Kane & Colletta, embroiled Dick Grayson and fellow Teen Titan Roy “Speedy” Harper in a crisis of social conscience, before our scarce-bearded hero wrapped up his first Detective run with the corking crime-busting caper ‘Break-Out’ in the September issue.

Robin’s further adventures transferred to the back of Batman, beginning with #227 (December 1970) and ‘Help Me – I Think I’m Dead!’ (Friedrich, Novick & Esposito) as ecological awareness and penny-pinching Big Business catastrophically collided on the campus, beginning an extended epic which saw the Teen Thunderbolt explore communes, alternative cultures and the burgeoning spiritual New Age fads of the day.

‘Temperature Boiling… and Rising!’ (inked by Frank Giacoia from #229, February 1971) continued the politically charged drama which is uncomfortably interrupted by a trenchant fantasy team-up with Superman sparked when the Man of Steel attempted to halt a violent campus clash between students and National Guard.

‘Prisoners of the Immortal World!’ (World’s Finest #2000 February 1971, by Friedrich, Dick Dillin & Giella) featured brothers on the opposite side of the teen scene kidnapped with Robin and Superman to a distant planet where undying vampiric aliens waged eternal war on each other, before returning to more pedestrian perils in Batman #230 (March 1971) where ‘Danger Comes A-Looking!’ for our young hero in the form of a gang of right-wing, anti-protester jocks and a deluded friend who preferred bombs to brotherhood, courtesy of Friedrich, Novick & Dick Giordano.

‘Wiped Out!’ (#231, May 1971) produced an eye-popping end to the jock gang whilst #234 offered a clever road-trip tale in ‘Vengeance for a Cop!’ when a campus guard was gunned down and Robin tracked the only suspect to a commune. ‘The Outcast Society’ had its own unique system of justice but eventually the shooter was apprehended in the cataclysmic ‘Rain Fire!’ (#235 and 236 respectively).

The Collective experience blossomed into psychedelic and psionic strangeness in Batman #239 as ‘Soul-Pit’ (illustrated by new penciller Rich Buckler) found Dick Grayson’s would be girlfriend, Jesus-freaks and runaway kids all sucked into a telepathic duel between a father and son, played out in the ‘Theatre of the Mind!’ before revealing the ‘Secret of the Psychic Siren!’ culminating in a lethal clash with a clandestine cult in ‘Death-Point!’ in Batman #242 (June 1972).

After that eerie epic we slip back a year to peruse the Teen Wonder’s participation in one of the hallowed JLA/JSA summer team-ups beginning with Justice League of America #91 (August 1971) and ‘Earth… the Monster-Maker!’ as the Supermen, Flashes, Green Lanterns, Atoms and a brace of Hawkmen from two separate Realities simultaneously and ineffectually battled an alien boy and his symbiotically-linked dog (sort of) on almost identical planets a universe apart, whilst painfully patronising the Robins of both until ‘Solomon Grundy… the One and Only!’ gave everybody a brutal but ultimately life-saving lesson on acceptance, togetherness, youthful optimism and lateral thinking.

‘The Teen-Age Trap!’ by Elliot Maggin, Novick & Giordano (Batman #244, September 1972) found Dick Grayson mentoring troubled kids – and finding plenty of troublemakers his own age – whilst ‘Who Stole the Gift From Nowhere!’ was a delightful old fashioned change-of-pace mystery yarn.

‘How Many Ways Can a Robin Die?’ by Robbins, Novick Dillin & Giordano from Batman #246 (December 1972) is actually a Dark Knight story with the Teen Wonder reduced to helpless hostage throughout, but issue #248 began another run of short solo stories with ‘The Immortals of Usen Castle’ (Maggin, Novick & Frank McLaughlin) wherein a deprived-kids day trip turned into an episode of Scooby-Doo, Where are You?, whilst the ‘Case of the Kidnapped Crusader!’ (pencilled by Bob Brown) put the Student Centurion on the trail of an abducted consumer advocate and ‘Return of the Flying Grayson!’ by Maggin, Novick & McLaughlin from #250 painfully reminded the hero of his Circus past after tracking down pop-art thieves.

Batman #252 (October 1973) featured a light-hearted pairing with a Danny Kaye pastiche in the charming romp ‘The King From Canarsie!’ by Maggin, Dillin & Giordano, whilst ‘The Phenomenal Memory of Luke Graham!’ (#254 January/February 1974 and inked by Murphy Anderson) caused nothing but trouble for Robin, college professors and a gang of robbers…

It was a year before the Teen Wonder’s solo sallies resumed with ‘The Touchdown Trap’ in Detective Comics #445 as new scripter Bob Rozakis and guest artist Mike Grell catapulted our hero into a fifty-year old college football feud that refused to die, whilst ‘The Puzzle of the Pyramids’ (#447 illustrated by A. Martinez & Mazzaroli) offered another clever crime mystery.

This magically eclectic monochrome compendium concludes with an action-packed human drama in ‘The Parking Lot Bandit!’ and ‘The Parking Lot Bandit Strikes Again!’ from Detective #450-451, (August and September 1975, drawn by art from Al Milgrom & Terry Austin).

These stories span a turbulent and chaotic period for comicbooks: perfectly encapsulating and describing the vicissitudes of the superhero genre’s premier juvenile lead: complex yet uncomplicated adventures drenched in charm and wit, moody tales of rebellion and self-discovery and rollercoaster, all-fun romps. Action is always paramount and angst-free satisfaction is pretty much guaranteed. This book of cracking yarns something no fan of Fights ‘n’ Tights fiction can afford to miss.

© 1964-1975, 2008 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.