Tag: DC Showcase

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Showcase Presents The Phantom Stranger

Showcase Presents the Phantom Stranger
Showcase Presents the Phantom Stranger

By various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-4012-1088-5

The Phantom Stranger was one of the first transitional heroes of the Golden Age of comics, created at the very end of the superhero boom as readers moved from costumed crimefighters to other genres such as mystery, crime, war and western tales. A trench-coated, mysterious know-it-all, with hat pulled down low, he would appear, debunk a legend or foil a supernatural-seeming plot, and then vanish again.

He was coolly ambiguous, never revealing whether he was man, mystic or personally paranormal. Probably created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, who produced the first story in Phantom Stranger #1 (August-September 1952) and most of the others, the six-issue run also boasted contributions from Jack Miller, Manny Stallman and John Giunta. The last issue was cover-dated June-July, 1953, after which the character vanished.

Flash-forward to the end of 1968. The second superhero boom is rapidly becoming a bust and traditional costumed heroes are dropping like flies. Suspense and mystery titles are the Coming Thing and somebody has the bright idea of reviving the Phantom Stranger. He is the last hero revival of DC’s Silver Age and the last to graduate to his own title during the star-studded initial run of Showcase, appearing in #80 (January-February 1969) and debuting in his own comic three months later. This time he found an appreciative audience, running for 41 issues over seven years.

Rather than completely renovate the character, or simply run complete reprints as DC had when trying to revive espionage ace King Faraday (Showcase #50-51), Editor Joe Orlando had writer Mike Friedrich and artist Jerry Grandenetti create a contemporary framing sequence of missing children for the 1950s tale ‘the Three Signs of Evil’, and in a masterstroke of print economy, introduced (or rather reintroduced) another lost 1950s mystery hero to fill out the comic, and provide a thoroughly modern counterpoint.

Dr. Terrence Thirteen is a parapsychologist known as the Ghost Breaker who had his own feature in Star-Spangled Comics #122-130 from November 1951 to July 1952. With fiancée (later wife) Marie he debunked supernatural hoaxes and caught mystic fraudsters, a vocal and determined cynic who was imported whole into the Showcase try-out as a foil for the Stranger. His reprint adventure here was an origin tale ‘I Talked with the Dead!’ by an unknown writer with art by Leonard Starr and Wayne Howard.

Despite this somewhat choppy beginning, the tryout was a relative success and (Follow Me… For I Am…) The Phantom Stranger launched with a May-June cover-date. In another framing sequence by Friedrich and Bill Draut, a tale of impossible escape from certain death is revealed in ‘When Ghosts Walk!’, a Fifties thriller from John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Sy Barry, followed by an all new mystery ‘Defeat the Dragon Curse… or Die!’ Firmly establishing that the supernatural is real, Friedrich and Draut pit the Stranger and Dr. 13 against each other as well as an ancient Chinese curse.

‘The Man Who Died Three Times’ in the second issue is a mystery with a deadly yet mundane origin, but the incorporated reprint Stranger tale ‘the House of Strange Secrets’ (Broome, Infantino and Barry) and Dr. 13’s ‘the Girl Who Lived 5,000 Years’ (France both provide the uneasy chills that Friedrich and Draut’s by-the-numbers tale do not.

Issue #3 once again used frightened kids as a vehicle for Friedrich and Draut to encapsulate vintage thrillers in a tale with a sinister carnival component. The Stranger relived ‘How do you Know My Name?’ by Broome and Frank Giacoia whilst Dr. 13 proved once more that there were ‘No Such Thing as Ghosts!’ (by Herron and Starr).

With such a formularized start it’s a miracle the series reached the landmark issue #4 where Robert Kanigher and Neal Adams (who had been responsible for the lion’s share of eerie, captivating covers thus far) produced a much more proactive hero in the mystery triptych ‘There is Laughter in Hell This Day!’, ‘There is Laughter in Hell Tonight!’ and ‘Even the Walls are Weeping!’

Stalwart Bill Draut provided inks for this classy classic in which Terry Thirteen became a far more militant – and consequently, frustrated – debunker of the Stranger’s “hocus-pocus” when Tala, the demonic Queen of Evil and Mistress of Darkness escapes her ancient tomb to bedevil the modern world with only the Phantom Stranger and an eclectic gang of runaway teens to oppose her.

This new combative format and repositioning of the book was presumably for the benefit of older kids. The protagonist teens were a strange composite of counter-culture stereotypes named Spartacus (Black kid), Attila (greasy biker), Wild Rose (blonde flower child) and Mister Square (conformist drop-out) who feel a little forced now but were the saving of the book, as was dropping of 17 year old reprints. From now on the stranger would really battle the Dark Powers and Dr. 13 would assume the metaphorical role of a blustering, officious parent who had no idea what was really going on. An added bonus in this cracking issue was a nifty three page horror vignette from Kanigher and the wonderful Murphy Anderson entitled ‘Out of This World’.

Anderson returned to ink the unique Mike Sekowsky in Phantom Stranger # 5, a full-length ghostly thriller featuring more of Tala’s handiwork in ‘the Devil’s Playground!’, topped off with another horror short by Kanigher, credited to Sekowsky here but actually a fine example of Curt Swan’s subtle mastery, especially as it’s inked by Anderson.

Sekowsky wrote and illustrated the next issue, with inks from Vince Colletta. ‘No. 13 Thirteenth Street’ is a Haunted House tale with those meddling kids and Dr. 13 getting underfoot in a delightfully light and whimsical diversion before Kanigher and Tala return in #7’s dark saga ‘The Curse!’ wherein both the Stranger and Terry Thirteen are right and the solution to madness and sudden deaths is both fraud and the supernatural!

This issue is particularly important in that it features the debut of up-and-coming Jim Aparo as illustrator. Over the next few years his art on this feature would be some of the very best in the entire industry.

Issue #8 featured an early arctic eco-thriller with supernatural overtones as Denny O’Neil described the tragic ‘Journey to the Tomb of the Ice Giants!’ whilst Dr. 13 got his own feature and dealt with ‘the Adventure of the Brittle Blossom!’ Mike Sekowsky scripted #9’s ‘Obeah Man!’ a tense shocker of emerging nations and ancient magic which showed Aparo’s superb versatility with locales.

Young Gerry Conway wrote ‘Death… Call Not my Name!’ for #10 which introduced another stylish returning villain in the immortal alchemist Tannarak, and found room for a quickie as the Stranger proved to be no match for ‘Charlie’s Crocodile.’ Phantom Stranger #11 (Conway and Aparo) introduced a colossal new threat as evil-doers everywhere began to vanish in ‘Walk Not in the Desert Sun…’ whilst Kanigher returned with a classy haunted love-story in ‘Marry Me… Marry Death!’ in #12 which also featured another debunking solo outing for the Ghost Breaker in Jack Oleck and Tony De Zuniga’s ‘A Time to Die’.

Science met supernature in issue #13 when death stalked a research community in ‘Child of Death’ and Dr. 13 survived an encounter with ‘the Devil’s Timepiece’, both scripts from Kanigher and art supplied by Aparo and De Zuniga respectively.

Len Wein wrote possibly the spookiest adventure to feature the Phantom Stranger in #14’s ‘The Man with No Heart!’, a story which resolved forever the debate about the dark hero’s humanity and also introduced another long-term adversary for our delectation. The Ghost Breaker had his own brush with super-science – but definitely not the supernatural, no sir! – in Wein and De Zuniga’s ‘The Spectre of the Stalking Swamp!’ a tale that actually pushed the Stranger off his own front cover!

Issue #15 returned him to the Dark Continent as a robotics engineer is caught up in revolution in Wein and Aparo’s ‘the Iron Messiah’ whilst Kanigher and De Zuniga send Dr. 13 up against ‘Satan’s Sextet’. On a roll now the Phantom Stranger creative team surpassed themselves with each successive issue, beginning with an ancient horror captured as an ‘Image in Wax’, nicely balanced by a sneaky murder mystery ‘And the Corpse cried “Murder!”’ (Wein and De Zuniga).

‘Like a Ghost from the Ashes’ introduced a nominal love-interest in blind psychic Cassandra Craft as well as returning an old foe with new masters in a the first chapter of an extended saga – so extended it pushed the Ghost Breaker out of #17 altogether. He returned in the back of the next issue in Steve Skeates and De Zuniga’s tense phantom menace ‘Stopover!’, and the artist drew double duty by illustrating the lead strip ‘Home is the Sailor’ a gothic romance with a sharp twist in the tail.

Old enemies resurfaced in ‘Return to the Tomb of the Ice Giants!’ as did artist Jim Aparo, whilst Skeates and De Zuniga’s ‘the Voice of Vengeance’ proved to be another stylish murder mystery in spook’s clothing. ‘A Child Shall Lead Them’ was written by Bob Kanigher, who easily adapted to the new style and produced a tense, powerful chase thriller as all and sundry search for the newest incarnation of a High Lama murdered by magic. Two short suspense tales top off the issue, both illustrated by the veteran Jack Sparling, ‘the Power’ scripted by Mark Hanerfield, and John Albano’s ‘A Far Away Place’.

Phantom Stranger #21 finishes off this superb collection of menace and magic with Wein and Aparo’s ‘the Resurrection of Johnny Glory’ wherein a reanimated assassin finds a good reason to stay dead whilst Dr. 13 debunks one final myth in ‘Woman of Stone’, prompting the question “why don’t killers use guns anymore?”

The DC Showcase compendiums are a brilliant way to access superb quality comics fare, and these black and white telephone books of wonderment offer tremendous value for money. If you’re looking for esoteric thrills and chills this first Phantom Stranger volume has it all. If you’re not a fan yet give it a chance… you will be.

© 1969-1972, 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents: Teen Titans

Showcase Presents: The Teen Titans
Showcase Presents: The Teen Titans

By Bob Haney & various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-84576-677-1

The concept of kid hero teams was not a new one when the 1960s Batman TV show finally prompted DC to trust their big heroes’ assorted sidekicks with their own regular comic in a fab, hip and groovy ensemble as dedicated to helping kids as they were to stamping out insidious evil.

The biggest difference between wartime groups as The Young Allies, Boy Commandos and Newsboy Legion or such 1950s holdovers as The Little Wise Guys or Boys Ranch and the creation of the Titans was quite simply the burgeoning phenomena of “The Teenager” as a discrete social and commercial force. These were kids who could be allowed to do things themselves without constant adult help or supervision.

As early as the June-July 1964 issue of The Brave and the Bold (#54), DC’s powers that be had tested the waters with a gripping tale by writer Bob Haney superbly illustrated by unsung genius Bruno Premiani. ‘The Thousand-and-One Dooms of Mr. Twister’ united Kid Flash, Aqualad and Robin the Boy Wonder in a desperate battle against a modern wizard-cum-Pied Piper who had stolen the teen-agers of Hatton Corners. The young heroes had met in the town by chance when students invited them to mediate in a long-running dispute with the town adults.

This element of a teen “court-of-appeal” was the motivating factor in many of the group’s cases. One year later the team reformed for a second adventure (The Brave and the Bold #60, by the same creative team) and introduced two new elements. ‘The Astounding Separated Man’ featured more misunderstood kids – this time in the coastal hamlet of Midville – threatened by an outlandish monster whose giant body parts could move independently. They added Wonder Girl (not actually a sidekick, or even a person, but rather an incarnation of Wonder Woman as a child – a fact the writers of the series seemed blissfully unaware of) and finally had a team name: ‘Teen Titans’.

Their final try-out appearance was in Showcase (issue #59, November-December 1965), birthplace of so many hit comic concepts, and was the first to be drawn by the brilliant Nick Cardy (who became synonymous with the 1960s series). ‘The Return of the Teen Titans’ pitted the team against teen pop trio ‘The Flips’ who were apparently also a gang of super-crooks, but as was so often the case the grown-ups had got it all wrong…

The next month their own comic debuted (#1 was dated January-February 1966 – released mere weeks before the Batman TV show aired on January 12th) with Robin the point of focus on the cover – and most succeeding ones. Haney and Cardy produced an exotic thriller entitled ‘The Beast-God of Xochatan!’ which saw the team act as Peace Corps representatives involved in a South American drama of sabotage, giant robots and magical monsters. The next issue held a fantastic mystery of revenge and young love involving ‘The Million-Year-Old Teen-Ager’.

‘The Revolt at Harrison High’ cashed in on the craze for drag-racing in a tale of bizarre criminality. Produced during a historically iconic era, many readers now can’t help but cringe when reminded of such daft foes as ‘Ding-Dong Daddy’ and his evil biker gang, and of course the hip, trendy dialogue (it wasn’t that accurate then, let alone now) is pitifully dated, but the plot is strong and the art magnificent.

‘The Secret Olympic Heroes’ guest-starred Green Arrow’s teen partner Speedy in a very human tale of parental pressure at the Olympics, although there’s also skulduggery aplenty from a terrorist organisation intent on disrupting the games. In #5’s ‘The Perilous Capers of the Terrible Teen’ the Titans faced the dual task of helping a troubled young man and capturing a super-villain called the Ant, despite all evidence indicating that they’re the same person, and another DC sidekick made his Titans debut in ‘The Fifth Titan’. Easily the weakest tale in the book, Beast Boy (from the iconic Doom Patrol) falls under the spell of an unscrupulous circus owner and the kids need to set things right. Painfully illustrated by Bill Molno and Sal Trapani, it’s the absolute low-point of a stylish run.

Quite a few fans would disagree, however, citing #7’s ‘The Mad Mod, Merchant of Menace’ as the biggest stinker, but beneath the painfully dated dialogue there’s a witty, tongue-in-cheek tale of swinging London and novel criminality, plus the return of the magnificent Nick Cardy to the art chores.

It was back to America for ‘A Killer called Honey Bun’ (illustrated by Irv Novick and Jack Abel) another tale of intolerance and misunderstood kids, played against a backdrop of espionage in Middle America, and #9’s ‘Big Beach Rumble’ found the Titans refereeing a vendetta between rival colleges when modern day pirates crash the scene. Novick pencilled it and Cardy’s inking made it all very palatable.

The editor obviously agreed as the art remained for the next few issues. ‘Scramble at Wildcat’ was crime caper featuring dirt-bikes and desert ghost-towns, whilst Speedy returned in #11’s spy-thriller ‘Monster Bait’. Twin hot-topics the Space-Race and Disc Jockey’s informed the whacky sci fi thriller ‘Large Trouble in Space-ville!’ and #13 was a veritable classic as Haney and Cardy produced a seasonal comics masterpiece with ‘The TT’s Swingin’ Christmas Carol!’, a styish retelling that’s one of the most reprinted Titans tales ever.

At this time Cardy’s art really opened up as he grasped the experimental flavour of the times. The cover of #14, as well as the interior illustration for the grim psycho-thriller ‘Requiem for a Titan’ are unforgettable. The tale introduced the team’s first serious returning villain (Mad Mod does not count!) the Gargoyle is mesmerising and memorable, and although he only inked Lee Elias’s pencils for #15’s eccentric tryst with the Hippie counter-culture, ‘Captain Rumble Blasts the Scene!’ is a genuinely unique crime-thriller from a time when nobody over age 25 understood what the youth of the world was doing…

Teen Titans #16 returned to more solid ground with the superb thriller ‘The Dimensional Caper!’ when aliens infiltrate a rural high-school (and how many times have you seen that plot used since this 1968 epic?). Cardy’s art reached dizzying heights of innovation both here and in the next issue’s waggish jaunt to London ‘Holy Thimbles, It’s the Mad Mod!’, a criminal chase through Cool Britannia which even included a command performance from Her Majesty, the Queen!

This volume ends with a fannish landmark as novice writers Len Wein and Marv Wolfman got a big break with a tale that introduced Russian superhero Starfire and set them firmly on a path of teen super-team writing. ‘Eye of the Beholder’ is a cool cat burglar yarn set in trendy Stockholm, drawn with superb understatement by Bill Draut, and acts a perfect indicator of the changes in style and attitude that would become part of the Teen Titans and the comics industry itself.

Although perhaps dated in delivery, these tales were a liberating experience for kids when first released. They truly betokened a new empathy with independent youth and tried to address problems that were more relevant to and generated by that specific audience. That they are so captivating in execution is a wonderful bonus. This is absolute escapism and absolutely delightful.

© 1964-1968, 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents: SHAZAM!

SHAZAM!
SHAZAM!

By various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-4012-1089-2

One of the most venerated and loved characters in American comics was created by Bill Parker and Charles Clarence Beck as part of the wave of opportunistic creativity that followed the successful launch of Superman in 1938. Although there were many similarities in the early years, the Fawcett character moved solidly into the area of light entertainment and even comedy, whilst as the 1940s progressed the Man of Steel increasingly left whimsy behind in favour of action and drama.

Homeless orphan and good kid Billy Batson is selected by an ancient wizard to be given the powers of six gods and heroes to battle injustice. He transforms from scrawny boy to brawny (adult) hero Captain Marvel by speaking aloud the wizard’s name – itself an acronym for the six patrons Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury

At the height of his popularity Captain Marvel outsold Superman and was even published twice a month, but as tastes and the decade changed sales slowed and an infamous court case begun by National Comics citing copyright infringement was settled. The Big Red Cheese disappeared – as did many superheroes – becoming a fond memory for older fans.

In Britain, where an English reprint line had run for many years creator/publisher Mick Anglo had an avid audience and no product, and so swiftly transformed Captain Marvel into the atomic age hero Marvelman, continuing to thrill readers into the early 1960s.

As America lived through another superhero boom-and-bust, the 1970s dawned with a shrinking industry and a wide variety of comics genres servicing a base that was increasingly founded on collector/fans and not casual or impulse buys. National, now DC Comics, needed sales and were prepared to look for them in unusual places. After the settlement with Fawcett in 1953 they had secured the rights to Captain Marvel and Family, and even though the name itself had been taken up by Marvel Comics (via a circuitous and quirky robotic character published by Carl Burgos and M.F. Publications in 1967) decided to tap into that discriminating fanbase.

In 1973 riding a wave of nostalgia DC brought back the entire beloved cast of the Captain Marvel crew in their own kinder, weirder universe. To circumvent the intellectual property clash, they entitled the new comic book Shazam! (‘With One Magic Word…’) the trigger phrase used by the Marvels to transform to and from mortal form and a word that had already entered the American language due to the success of the franchise the first time around.

Recruiting the top talent available the company tapped editor Julie Schwartz – who had a few successes with hero revivals – to steer the project. He teamed top scripter Denny O’Neil with the original artist C.C. Beck for the initial story. ‘In the Beginning’ in grand old self-referential style retold the classic origin whilst ‘The World’s Wickedest Plan’ related how the entire cast had been trapped in a “Suspendium” trap for twenty years after their arch-foes the Sivana family attacked them at a public awards ceremony. Two decades later, they were all freed, baddies included, to restart their lives. That first issue also included a text-feature/score-card by devotee E. Nelson Bridwell to bring new and old readers up to speed.

With issue #2 a format of two stories per issue was instigated. ‘The Astonishing Arch Enemy’ saw the return of the super-intelligent worm Mr. Mind and a running gag about how strange people in the 1970s were. The second tale was written by Elliot Maggin and introduced irresistible Sunny Sparkle ‘The Nicest Guy in the World’. O’Neil wrote ‘A Switch in Time’ wherein magic disrupted the boy-to-super-adult gimmick for young Billy in #3 and a wry spy tale ‘The Wizard of Phonograph Hill’ by Maggin and Beck filled out that issue. Evil Captain Marvel analogue ‘Ibac the Cursed’ returned in #4 courtesy of O’Neil, and Maggin again went for a human interest yarn with ‘The Mirrors that Predicted the Future’.

In the ’70s economics dictated costs in comics be cut whenever possible so there was really no choice about filling pages with reprints, which had been an addition from the start. A huge benefit however is that almost all of those stories were unknown to the general readership and of a very high standard. Although not included in this volume I mention them simply because they kept the page-count of most issues to around fifteen pages of new material per month (Shazam! was actually published eight times a year so the savings were even greater). Hopefully DC will get around to reprinting the Fawcett stories too – perhaps in the same format as the excellent Batman and Superman Chronicles trade paperbacks.

Maggin took the lead slot with #5’s ‘The Man who Wasn’t’ and provide the back-up which saw the return of Sunny Sparkle and his obnoxious cousin Rowdy who briefly was ‘The World’s Toughest Guy!’ O’Neil returned in the next issue as did Dr, Sivana in ‘Better Late than Never!’ and Maggin reintroduced the 1940’s boy-genius in the charming ‘Dexter Knox and his Electric Grandmother’. The loquacious Tawky Tawny took centre-stage in O’Neil’s ‘The Troubles of the Talking Tiger’ and uber-fan and wonderful guy E. Nelson Bridwell finally got to write a tale with the delightfully zany and clever ‘What’s in a Name? Doomsday!

Issue #8 was the first of many 100 Page Spectaculars stuffed with great old reprints, but as such it’s only represented here by the C.C. Beck cover, whilst the normal-sized #9 provides us with O’Neil’s ‘Worms of the World Unite’ and the first solo adventure of Captain Marvel Jr. in over twenty years. ‘The Mystery of the Missing Newsstand!’ is a fine tribute to the works of early Fawcett mainstay and Flash Gordon maestro Mac Raboy, written by Maggin and drawn by a young and brilliant Dave Cockrum. It is truly lovely to look upon. A third new story completed the issue. Maggin and Beck had heaps of fun on ‘The Day Captain Marvel Went Ape!’ as a mystic jewel deflected Shazam’s magic lightning into a monkey.

Beck, notoriously opinionated, had been unhappy with the stories he was being asked to draw and left the series with #10. He was a supremely understated draughtsman with a canny eye for caricature and gag-timing, and his departure took away an indefinable charm. Many other fine artists would continue the strip but a certain kind of magic left the strip with him. He wasn’t even the lead artist on that issue.

Bob Oksner and Vince Colletta illustrated Maggin’s mediocre ‘Invasion of the Salad Men’, but Mary Marvel’s solo debut ‘The Thanksgiving Thieves’ was a much better effort with Bridwell’s script handled by Oksner alone (if ever an artist should ink himself it was this superb stylist). Beck bowed out with Bridwell’s ‘The Prize Catch of the Year’ which returned the formidable octogenarian villainess Aunt Minerva – one of the most innovative baddies of the Golden Age.

Issue #11 kicked off with ‘The World’s Mightiest Dessert!’ by Bridwell, Oksner and Colletta, but the real gem of this comic was ‘The Incredible Cape-Man’ written by Maggin and featuring the long-awaited return of Kurt Schaffenberger, a brilliant and highly accomplished artist who by his own admission considered drawing Captain Marvel the best of all possible jobs.

He began his career at Fawcett before moving to DC when the company folded, and his resumption of the art-chores was inevitable. In this tale of a mail man who becomes a Mystery Man the art positively glows with joyous enthusiasm. This end of year issue concluded with a good old-fashioned Yule yarn featuring the entire extended cast in Maggin and Schaffenberger’s ‘The Year Without a Christmas!’

The twelfth issue was another 100 Page Spectacular but with three all new tales, ‘The Golden Plague’ by Bridwell and Oksner, another glorious Captain Marvel, Jr. adventure ‘The Longest Block in the World!’ by Maggin and Dick Giordano, and the cheerfully daft Kung Fu spoof ‘Mighty Master of the Martial Arts!’ by Maggin, Oksner and Colletta. The next six issues retained this same format, combining around twenty pages of new material with a superb selection of Fawcett reprints, but as the character spawned a children’s TV show, the comic was again slimmed down to a cheaper standard format.

‘The Case of the Charming Crook!’ by Maggin and Oksner led in #13 wherein a felon managed to synthesise “essence of Sunny Sparkle” and the artist was on familiar ground as an illustrator of beautiful women when he drew Bridwell’s Mary Marvel solo strip ‘The Haunted Clubhouse!’ The entire Marvel Family was needed in the next issue when O’Neil and Schaffenberger produced ‘The Evil Return of the Monster Society’ a splendid action thriller that served to remind us that Shazam wasn’t just about charm and comedy.

You know what fans are like: they had been arguing for decades – and still do – over who was best (for which read “who would win if they fought?”) out of Superman or Captain Marvel so it’s amazing that a meeting took as long as it did to materialise. However the lead strip in #15 wasn’t it. Instead fans had to be content with a guest villain when Mr. Mind and ‘Captain Marvel Meets… Lex Luthor!?!’ by O’Neil, Oksner and veteran inker (Phillip) Tex Blaisdell, who had worked un-credited on many DC strips over the decades, as well as drawing Little Orphan Annie, On Stage and many others. Bridwell and Schaffenberger contributed an excellent crime–caper in ‘The Man in the Paper Armor!’ to round out the issue.

Schaffenberger kicked off the next issue with Maggin’s ‘The Man Who Stole Justice’; a taut thriller involving the incarnation of the one of the iconic Seven Deadly Enemies of Man (Sins to you and me) and a key part of the legend since the strip’s inception. Bridwell and Oksner utilised another Deadly Enemy in the Mary Marvel solo story ‘The Green-Eyed Monster!’ but aliens and a Hippie musician were the antagonists in the feature-length tale that lead off #17, the last 100 page issue. ‘The Pied Un-Piper’ was a tongue-in-cheek thriller from O’Neil and Schaffenberger but a slightly older tone started to creep into the whimsy with #18’s ‘The Celebrated Talking Frog of Blackstone Forest!’ (Maggin and Oksner) and Bridwell and Schaffenberger’s CM Jr. thriller ‘The Coin-Operated Caper’, but still not enough to deaden the charm.

Issue #19 introduced extra-dimensional delinquent Zazzo, the culprit revealed when Maggin and Schaffenberger asked ‘Who Stole Billy Batson’s Thunder?’. Mary Marvel was the back-up feature in the first slim-line comic, solving Bridwell and Oksner’s ‘Secret of the Smiling Swordsman!’, but the next issue teamed the entire Marvel Family in the full-length Sci Fi thriller ‘The Strange and Terrible Disappearance of Maxwell Zodiac!’, courtesy of Maggin and Schaffenberger.

Shazam! #21, 22,23 and 24 were all reprint, represented here by covers from Ernie Chua/Bob Oksner, two from Kurt Schaffenberger and then another from Chua & Oksner, reflecting a scheduling change that saw the comic come out quarterly.

I suspect, but have no proof, that this coincided with the TV show being off-air, as when issue #24 appeared in Spring 1976, new editor Joe Orlando oversaw a massaging of the scenario which would see young Billy and Uncle Dudley (a mainstay of the TV incarnation) set off around America in a minivan as roving reporters, encountering threats and felons in America’s Bicentennial year. Bridwell and Schaffenberger became the permanent creative team, with occasional inkers such as Vince Colletta, Bob Wiacek and Bob Smith pitching in, but seldom to the enhancement of Schaffenberger’s pencils.

To further confuse things issue #25 isn’t included even as a cover since it depicted a team-up of the Captain with Mighty Isis, a TV character that DC was then licensing for a tie-in comicbook. As that cover and story are absent I’m assuming that some Intellectual Property problem couldn’t be solved. That issue’s back-up ‘The Bicentennial Villain’ which introduces the new roving format does appear though. It was followed by the far less contentious and highly enjoyable ‘The Case of the Kidnapped Congress’ as Billy and Dudley combat Sivana in Washington DC. Colletta inked the self-explanatory ‘Fear in Philadelphia’, and the less than perfect art doesn’t detract from a right royal romp as Sivana uses a resurrection machine to bring back the greatest rogues in America’s history (that was a much shorter list to pick from in 1976).

Clearly having tremendous fun, writer Bridwell began his own resurrections: bringing back Fawcett and Quality Comics characters as guest-stars. First up was the ghostly Kid Eternity, and with the next issue he scripted his masterstroke with ‘The Return of Black Adam’, a Golden-Age villain whose fabled single appearance was a landmark long remembered by fans. That this character is still a huge favourite today shows the astuteness of that decision. That was in Boston, and #29 was set in Buffalo and Niagara Falls where ‘Ibac meets Aunt Minerva!’ a comedic battle of the sexes that was heavy on the hitting.

Another Faux meeting with his greatest rival occurred in #30’s ‘Captain Marvel Fights the Man of Steel’ when the Batson bus reached Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as folk legend Joe Magarac (the Paul Bunyan of Steel workers) and the Three Lieutenant Marvels guest-starred. All girl villain-team ‘The Rainbow Squad’ found Captain Marvel’s gentlemanly weakness in #31 which heralded the return of patriotic hero Minute Man to save the day.

Tenny Henson pencilled #32’s tale from Detroit as aliens led by Mr. Mind tried to destroy Baseball in ‘Mr. Tawny’s Big Game!’ and fans knew that the good old days were coming to an end. A radical change to Shazam! was coming but mercifully that’s a tale for another time since this book ends with #33’s ‘The World’s Mightiest Race’ when Bridwell, Henson and Colletta reintroduced the Nuclear robotic menace Mister Atom during the Indianapolis 500 motor race.

Although controversial amongst older fans the 1970’s incarnation of Captain Marvel has a tremendous amount going for it. Gloriously free of angst and agony, (mostly) beautifully, simply illustrated, and charmingly scripted, these are clever, funny wholesome adventures that would appeal to any child and positively promote a love of graphic narrative. There’s a horrible dearth of exuberant superhero adventure these days. Isn’t it great that there is somewhere to go for a little light action?

© 1973-1978, 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents Batman

Showcase Presents Batman
Showcase: Batman

By various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-4012-1086-1

I’m assuming that all of us here love comics (otherwise why are you here? Did you think I was talking about stand-up comedians?) and that we’ve all had the same unpleasant experience of trying to justify that passion to somebody. Excluding your partner (who is actually right – the living room floor is not the place to leave your D*&$£! funny-books) most people have an entrenched and erroneous view of strip art, meaning that at some time you have tried to dissuade them from that opinion.

If so this collection might be the book you want to use the next time that confrontation occurs. Collected here in pristine black-and-white are tales that redesigned the Dynamic Duo and set them up for global Stardom – and fearful castigation from fans – as the template for the Batman TV show of the 1960s. It should be noted however that the producers and researchers did get their initial glimmerings from the comics stories of the era preceding the “New Look Batman” as well as the original movie serial of the 1940s.

So what have we here? At the end of 1963, Julius Schwartz had revived much of DC’s line -and the entire industry – with his modernization of the Superhero, and was asked to work his magic with the Caped Crusader. Bringing his usual team of creators with him, he stripped down the core-concept, bringing a modern take to the capture of criminals, downplaying all the Aliens, outlandish villains and daft transformation tales, even overseeing a streamlining/rationalisation of the art style itself.

The most apparent change to us kids was a yellow circle around the Bat-symbol, but more importantly the stories themselves changed. A subtle menace had re-entered the comfortable and abstract world of Gotham City. The revolution began with Detective Comics #327 (cover-dated May 1964) and was formalised in the first tale in Batman #164 (June 1964). ‘The Mystery of the Menacing Mask!’ was written by John Broome and pencilled by Carmine Infantino; a baffling “Howdunnit?” that was long on action and peril, which underlined the renewed intention to emphasise the “Detective” part of the title for the foreseeable future. To ram the point home a new back-up feature was introduced, “The Stretchable Sleuth” Elongated Man. This comic was to be a brain-teaser from now on.

In Batman, action and adventure were paramount. ‘Two-Way Gem Caper!’ pitted Batman and Robin against a slick criminal named Dabblo, but the villain wasn’t the star of this tale. Almost as an aside, a new Batcave and Wayne Manor were introduced plus a sleek, new compact Batmobile, more sports car than super-tank. This story was written by Ed “France” Herron and drawn by Bob Kane with Joe Giella inking the contents of both Batman and Detective in a bid to generate a recognisable uniformity to the stories. A new semi-regular feature also debuted that issue. The Mystery Analysts of Gotham City was a club of Detectives and Crime-writers who met to talk about their cases. Somehow it always resulted in an adventure such as ‘Batman’s Great Face-Saving Feat!’ (also the work of Herron, Kane and Giella).

‘Gotham Gang Line-Up!’ completed the transformation of Batman. Written by Bill Finger and pencilled by Bob Kane, the mediocre crime-caper from Detective #328 is remarkable for the plot-twist wherein faithful butler Alfred sacrifices his life to save the heroes, and Dick Grayson’s aunt Harriet moves into the mansion. From this point the adventures fall into a pattern of top-of-the-line comic tales punctuated by utterly exceptional tales of drama, mystery and action. These would continue until the TV show’s success became so great that it actually began to inform the kind of story in the comics themselves.

This cheap’n’cheerful Showcase Presents… compendium collects all the Batman and Robin yarns from Detective Comics #327-342 and Batman 164-174 (38 stories in all) written by Broome, Herron, Finger and Gardner Fox, with pencil art by Bob Kane, Infantino and Sheldon Moldoff. The inks are by Joe Giella, Sid Greene and Murphy Anderson.

Other story highpoints include ‘Castle with Wall-To-Wall Danger!’ (Detective #329), the eerie ‘Man Who Quit the Human Race!’ (Batman #165), ‘Museum of Mixed-Up Men’ (Detective #331 and guest-starring the Elongated Man), ‘Zero Hour for Earth!’ (Batman #167) and the captivating sci-fi chiller ‘Deep-Freeze Menace!’ (from Detective #337). If you’re a fan of costumed villains The Riddler, Penguin and Joker all make appearances, and it was during this time that the miniseries-within-a-series concept was pioneered as the mysterious Outsider struck at Batman again and again through a succession of subordinates.

No matter how much we might squeal and foam about it, to a huge portion of the world Batman is always going to be the “Zap! Pow!” caped buffoon of the 1960s television show. It really was that popular. But if you can make a potential convert sit-down, shut up and actually read these wonderful adventures for all (reasonable) ages, you might find that the old adage “Quality will out” still holds true. And if you’re actually a fan who hasn’t read this classic stuff, you have an absolute treat in store…

© 1964, 1965, 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents Supergirl

Showcase Presents Supergirl
Showcase Presents Supergirl

By various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-84576-810-2

Superhero comics don’t do sweet or charming anymore. The modern narrative focus concentrates on turmoil, angst and spectacle and although there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that sometimes the palate just craves a different flavour.

Such was not always the case as this splendid black and white compendium of the early career of Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El of Argo City joyously proves. Also included and kicking off proceedings is the try-out story ‘The Three Magic Wishes’ written by Otto Binder and illustrated by Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye which originally appeared in Superman #123, August 1958. In this tale a mystic totem conjures up a young girl with super powers as one of three wishes Jimmy Olsen makes. Such was the reaction to the plucky heroine that within a year a new version was introduced to the Superman Family.

Action Comics #252 (May 1959) introduced Superman’s cousin Kara, who had been born on a city-sized fragment of Krypton, hurled intact into space when the planet exploded. Eventually Argo City turned to Kryptonite like the rest of the giant world’s debris, and her dying parents, observing Earth through their scopes sent their daughter to safety as they perished. Landing on Earth, she met Superman who created the identity of Linda Lee and hid her in an orphanage in small town Midvale whilst she learned of her new world and powers in secret and safety. This groundbreaking tale was also written by Binder and drawn by hugely under-rated Al Plastino.

Once the formula was established Supergirl became a regular feature in Action Comics (starting with #253 ‘The Secret of the Super-Orphan!’), a residency that lasted until 1969 when she graduated to the lead spot in Adventure Comics. At the orphanage she met a boy named Dick Wilson (eventually Malverne) who would become her Lois Lane, a recurring romantic entanglement who suspected that she had a secret. As a young girl, romance featured heavily in her thoughts and she met other potential boyfriends including alien heroes and even a Mer-boy from Atlantis.

Many of the early tales involved keeping her presence concealed, even when performing super-feats. Jim Mooney was selected as regular artist and Binder remained as chief scripter for most of the early run.

This gloriously economical chronological collection continues with Action #254’s ‘Supergirl’s Foster-Parents!’, an unscrupulous couple of con-artists easily foiled, after which she meets a mystery DC hero when ‘Supergirl Visits the 21st Century!’ (#255). Her secret is almost uncovered (‘The Great Supergirl Mirage!’) before she has her first guest-shot in ‘Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl’s Pal!’, written by Binder, and captivatingly illustrated by Curt Swan and George Klein (from Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #40, October 1959). In her Action appearance that month she granted ‘The Three Magic Wishes!’

Superman often came off rather poorly when dealing with women in those less enlightened days, always under the guise of “teaching a much needed lesson” or “testing” someone. When she plays with Krypto, ignoring his secrecy decree, the Man of Steel banishes the lonely young heroine to an asteroid in ‘Supergirl’s Farewell to Earth!’ but of course there’s method in the madness. ‘The Cave-Girl of Steel!’ sees her travel to the ancient past before her second guest appearance (in Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane #14, January 1960) ‘Lois Lane’s Secret Romance!’ Drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger, this is the first of many attempts by Supergirl to play cupid. Action #260 saw her join Superman in the lead feature ‘Mighty Maid!’ (by Binder and Al Plastino) as well as her own strip ‘The Girl Superbaby!’

The next issue introduced Streaky the Super-Cat in ‘Supergirl’s Super Pet!’ whilst ‘Supergirl’s Greatest Victory!’ delivered a salutary lesson in humility to the Girl of Steel. Swan and Klein got another shot at drawing the kid when ‘Superboy Meets Supergirl!’ (Superboy #80) whilst Action #263 presented ‘Supergirl’s Darkest Day!’, after which Jerry Siegel took over as ‘Supergirl Gets Adopted!’ a sad tale which ends with the lass back at the orphanage.

I’ve restrained myself so please do the same when I say that the next adventure isn’t what you think. ‘When Supergirl Revealed Herself!’ (Siegel and Mooney, Action #265) is another story about nearly finding a family, followed by ‘Jimmy Olsen, Orphan!’ (by Siegel, Swan and Klein, from Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #46), after which Streaky returns in ‘The World’s Mightiest Cat!’ (Action #266 by Siegel and Mooney). Binder, Swan and Klein produced ‘The Untold Story of Red Kryptonite!’ for Superman #139 and Supergirl met the Legion of Super Heroes in Action #267’s ‘The Three Super-Heroes!‘

In the next issue she meets ‘The Mystery Supergirl!’ before starring in a full length epic in Superman #140. Written by Binder and drawn by the great Wayne Boring ‘The Son of Bizarro!’, ‘The Orphan Bizarro!’ and ‘The Supergirl Bizarro!’ blends comedy and tragedy in another tale about broken families, a major theme in all these early stories of the Girl of Steel.

Action #269, by Siegel and Mooney, introduces Jerro the Mer-boy in ‘Supergirl’s First Romance!’ and the next issue once again finds her in Superman’s and her own feature. ‘The Old Man of Metropolis!’ (Binder, Swan and John Forte) is followed by ‘Supergirl’s Busiest Day!’ (Siegel and Mooney) with cameos from Batman and Robin, and Adventure Comics #278 by Siegel and Plastino, sees her revisit Superboy in ‘Supergirl in Smallville!‘

Streaky came back for ‘Supergirl’s Fortress of Solitude!’, scripted by Siegel, but Otto Binder wrote the next adventure starring ‘The Second Supergirl!’, an alternate world tale that was too big for one issue. A sequel, ‘The Supergirl of Two Worlds!’ appeared in Action #273 as did a novel piece of market research. ‘Pick a New Hairstyle for Linda (Supergirl) Lee!’ involved readers in the actual appearance of their heroine and gave the editors some valuable input into who was reading the series.

‘The Girl with Green Hair!’ was another girl-plays-cupid tale (from Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #51, by Binder, Swan and Klein) and in ‘Supergirl’s Three Time Trips!’ Siegel and Mooney demonstrate that history cannot be changed. Superman #144 featured ‘The Orphans of Space’ by the same author and Al Plastino, and then ‘Ma and Pa Kent Adopt Supergirl!’ in Action #275, by that man Siegel and Mr Mooney.

Veteran scripter Robert Bernstein joins Wayne Boring for the lead story in Action #276. ‘The War Between Supergirl and the Superman Emergency Squad!’ is followed by a return visit to the Legion of Super Heroes in ‘Supergirl’s Three Super Girl-Friends!’ and the next issue featured an animal epic in ‘The Battle of the Super-Pets!’

The last five tales in this volume form an extended saga that took the Girl of Steel in totally new directions. On the eve of Superman announcing her existence to the world Supergirl lost her powers and resigned to a normal life was adopted by the childless Mr and Mrs. Danvers. But it was all a deadly plot by Lesla-Lar, an identical double from the Bottle City of Kandor who planned to replace Supergirl and conquer the Earth. This mini-epic (‘The Unknown Supergirl!’, ‘Supergirl’s Secret Enemy!’, ‘Trapped in Kandor!’, ‘The Secret of the Time Barrier!’ and ‘The Supergirl of Tomorrow!’) which ran in Action #278-282 repositioned the character for a more positive and effective role in the DC universe and hinted of a more dramatic and less paternalistic, parochial and even sexist future for the most powerful girl in the world.

But that’s a volume for another time…

© 1958-1964, 1967, 1969, 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Showcase Presents: Batman and the Outsiders, Vol 1

<i>Showcase Presents</i>: Batman and the Outsiders, Vol 1
DC Showcase Presents: Batman and the Outsiders, Vol 1

By Mike W. Barr, Jim Aparo & various (DC Comics)
ISBN 10: 1-84576-669-5 ISBN 13: 978-1-84576-669-6

During the early 1980s the general trend of comics sales were in a downturn – although team-books were holding their own – and the major publishers were less concerned with experimentation than with consolidation. Many popular titles were augmented by spin-offs, a recurring tactic in publishing troughs.

Batman was the star of two and two half titles at the time, sharing World’s Finest Comics with Superman (until its cancellation in 1986) and with rotating guest-stars in The Brave and the Bold, as well as his regular spots in both Batman and Detective Comics. He was also a member of the Justice League of America. In July 1983 The Brave and the Bold was cancelled with issue #200 and in it was a preview of a new Bat-title. One month later Batman and the Outsiders debuted…

The basic premise was that the JLA was not fit for purpose; that too many problems were beyond their reach since they were hamstrung by international red tape and, by inference, too many laws. This volume collects issues #1-19, the first annual, that aforementioned preview and the New Teen Titans #37, which was the first part of a crossover between the two titles.

It all kicks off with a revolution in the European nation of Markovia (nebulously wedged into that vague bit between France, Belgium and Russia) and details a telling personal crisis when The Caped Crusader’s friend Lucius Fox goes missing in that war-torn country. As neither the US State Department nor his fellow superheroes will act, Batman takes matters into his own hands. He begins sniffing around only to discover that a number of other metahumans, some known to him and others new, are also sneaking about below the natives’ radar.

Markovia’s monarchy is threatened by an attempted coup, and is being countered by the King’s unorthodox hiring of Dr. Jace, a scientist who specialises in creating superpowers. When King Victor dies Prince Gregor is named successor whilst his brother Brion is charged with finding their sister Tara who has been missing since she underwent the Jace Process. To save his sister and his country, Brion submits to the same procedure. Meanwhile two more Americans are clandestinely entering the country…

Rex Mason, ‘Metamorpho’, is a chemical freak who can turn into any element, and he wants Jace to cure him, but Jefferson (‘Black Lightning’) Pierce is infiltrating as Batman’s ace-in-the-hole. Things go badly wrong when a ninja assassin kills the General Pierce is negotiating with, and he is blamed. Whilst attempting to rescue him Batman finds a young American girl in a bombed-out building who has fantastic light-based superpowers – and amnesia.

As Prince Brion emerges from Jace’s experimental chamber, the revolutionaries attack and not even his new gravity and volcano powers, plus the late arriving Metamorpho can stop them. Brion is shot dead and dumped in an unmarked grave whilst the Element Man joins Batman, who, encumbered by the girl, was also captured by the rebels. The heroes and Dr. Jace are the prisoners of the mysterious Baron Bedlam…

The second issue provides the mandatory origin and plans of the Baron, but while he’s talking the new heroes are mobilising. Like the legendary Antaeus, Brion (soon to be known as Geo-Force) is re-invigorated by contact with Earth and rises from his grave, whilst the girl (code-named Halo) is found by the ninja (‘Katana’) and together they invade the Baron’s HQ. Not to be outdone, the captive heroes break free and join forces with the newcomers to defeat the Baron, who now has powers of his own courtesy of the captive Jace.

As introductory stories goes this is above average, with plenty of threads laid for future development, and the tried and tested super-team formula (a few old and a few new heroes thrown together for a greater purpose) that worked so well with the ‘New X-Men’ and ‘New Teen Titans’ still proved an effective one. As always Barr is an adroit scripter and Jim Aparo, an artist who gave his all to a script, is in top form – and his skill is actually enhanced by the absence of colour in this bargain compendium.

Issue #3 began a long run of high-quality super-hero sagas with ‘Bitter Orange’ as the new team get acquainted and also stop a chemical terrorist with a hidden agenda. This is followed by that preview from The Brave and the Bold #200, a hostage crisis tale designed to tease, followed in turn by ‘One-Man Meltdown’ (Batman And The Outsiders #4) in which a radioactive villain from Batman’s past returns.

New Teen Titans #37 is reprinted next. ‘Light’s Out, Everyone!’ by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez and Romeo Tanghal is the first part of a cross-over tale wherein Dr. Light and his Fearsome Five kidnap Dr. Jace and the Titans and Outsiders must unite to rescue her. Concluding with ‘Psimon Says’ in BATO #5, its most notable feature is the reuniting of Brion with his sister Tara, the Titan known as Terra.

‘Death Warmed Over’ and ‘Cold Hands, Cold Heart’ tell the tale of The Cryonic Man, a villain who steals frozen body-parts and ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ is a sinister supernatural Christmas treat guest-starring possibly Aparo’s most fondly remembered character (most certainly for me) The Phantom Stranger. BATO #9 introduces a super-villain gang with ‘Enter: The Masters of Disaster!’ (the first half of a two-part tale) plus a back-up tale of Halo in ‘Battle For the Band’, written by Barr and illustrated by Bill Willingham and Mike DeCarlo. ‘The Execution of Black Lightning’ concludes the Masters of Disaster saga, and is illustrated by Steve Lightle and Sal Trapani.

Issue #11 begins ‘The Truth About Katana’ by exploring her past and the implications of her magic blade. ‘A Sword of Ancient Death!’ is by Barr and Aparo and continues with ‘To Love, Honour and Destroy’ which leads directly into #13’s impressive ‘In the Chill of the Night’, illustrated by Dan Day and Pablo Marcos, in which the desperate team must capture a dying and delusional Dark Knight.

The first Annual follows: ‘…Land Where Our Fathers Died…’ introduces a gang of ultra-patriots called the Force of July in a barbed epic written by Barr and illustrated by Jerome Moore, Alex Savuik, Jan Duursema and Rick Hoberg with Aparo on inks. This is followed by issue #14’s ‘Two by Two…’ with art by Willingham and Bill Anderson and #15’s ‘Going For the Gold’ (spectacularly illustrated by Trevor Von Eeden) a two-part thriller set at the 1984 Olympics.

‘The Truth About Halo’ begins and is inconclusively revealed in ‘…Goodbye…’ but the next two issues (#17-18) diverts to the desert for ‘We Are Dying, Egypt… Dying’ and ‘Who Wears the Crown of Ra?’ spotlighting Metamorpho, and the volume ends with another Christmas tale. ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Red “S”?’ is a powerful tale of date-rape and sexual bullying, which pits Geo-Force against Superman and in many ways is the best story in this book.

Although probably not flashy enough to cross the Fan-Barrier into mainstream popularity, this is a competent and highly readable series re-presented in an inexpensive and accessible way. An open minded new reader could do lots worse than try this example “fights’n’tights” fiction.

© 1983, 1984, 1985, 2007 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.