J’onn J’onzz Martian Manhunter; Mission: Catch a Killer (part one)

Posted by michael64curry

The Back Pages: back-up features of the Bronze Age of comic books:

J’onn J’onzz The Martian Manhunter; Mission: Catch a Killer atory arc (part one)

Adventure Comics #449, February 1977

“Mission: Catch a Killer”

Writer: Denny O’Neil

Penciler: Michael Nasser, Inker: Terry Austin

Colorist: Carl Gafford

Editor: Paul Levitz

From DC Wikia:

Just as J’onn J’onzz is awarded leadership of Mars II for a second term as popular vote, his friend R’es Eda is cut down and apparently killed by a sniper. Eda’s last words were “was from…was…sol…”, which J’onzz interprets as meaning the killer was from Earth, a world circling Sol (Earth’s sun). Since no one there except the members of the Justice League knew where Mars II was located, J’onzz suspects that, like it or not, one of them may be involved in the murder. Though N’or Cott and other Martians try to stop him from leaving Mars, J’onzz steals one of Mars’s two spacecraft and heads for Earth, with N’or Cott in pursuit.

***

This is the first Martian Manhunter solo story since House of Mystery #173 (April 1968) and his first solo story of the Bronze Age.

***

Adventure Comics #450, April 1977

“Return to Destiny”

Writer: Denny O’Neil

Penciler/Colorist: Michael Nasser, Inker: Terry Austin

Editor: Paul Levitz

From DC Wikia:

Just after J’onn J’onzz breaches Earth’s atmosphere, his ship is blasted by N’or Cott, destroying it, dazing him, and drawing the attention of Supergirl. The Girl of Steel is mistakenly drawn into battle against the Martian Manhunter until she brings him back to his senses. When N’or Cott releases two more torpedoes, Supergirl intercepts and destroys them. J’onn stops her from pursuing Cott, saying that their attacker “is merely doing his duty.” But he tells her that somewhere on Earth is R’es Eda’s murderer, and he is bound to bring him to justice.

***

The 450^th issue of Adventure comes and goes with no mention – anniversary issues such as this are celebrated and hyped throughout the Bronze (and later) age.

Also with no cover blurb or any hype, this is the first appearance of Supergirl in Adventure since her own series in #424, 4-1/2 years earlier. At the least that could have been hyped as an anniversary “gift” to the readers.

To be continued!

***

Nowadays, J’onn J’onnz is an integral part of Supergirl’s life in the current television series on the CW…

***

About the author: Michael Curry is the author of the Brave & Bold: From Silent Knight to Dark Knight, The Day John F Kennedy Met the Beatles and the award-winning Abby’s Road, the Long and Winding Road to Adoption and How Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt Helped. Check his website for more releases! Thanks for reading!

DC Super-Stars Vol 1 #15, August, 1977

Posted by michael64curry

Behold, the Bronze Age!

Cover: Tatjana Wood

“Heap the Corpses High!”

Writer: Robert Kanigher, Penciler: Lee Elias,

Inker: Romeo Tanghal, Colorist: Tatjana Wood, Editor: Paul Levitz

The Nazis developed ICBM missiles that can strike at America. The Unknown Soldier is ordered to find the location of the missiles and eliminate the man in charge.

In Paris, Mlle. Marie believes she executes Hitler! It ended up being a decoy. Chased throughout the city, she is rescued by the Unknown Soldier and both barely escape the city with their lives!

Sgt. Rock and Easy Company are trapped and pummeled by a Nazi unit. Rock saves his men but at great physical cost. Recuperating in a battalion aid field hospital, he is visited by the Unknown Soldier who assures him that Rock will lead Easy Company soon.

Sure enough, Rock walks up to his recuperating Company and moves them out to retake the mountain retreat that nearly slaughtered them. They are again pinned down but saved by a mysterious masked skier who attacks the Nazis from the rear. It is Mlle. Marie!

Rock and Mlle. Marie work their way into a crevasse in the mountain to find the ICBMs aimed at America. Rock and Marie are trapped and saved by … Sgt. Rock of Easy Company?

Surprise! The Rock with Mlle. Marie was actually the Unknown Soldier in disguise! Unable to stop the countdown, the Soldier seemingly gives his life by dropping a string of grenades into the crevasse. Is the Soldier dead? No, Rock and Marie spot him skiing down the mountain.

***

This house ad explains it better than I can …

***

While not the best war comic ever written, this issue is pretty good, if only because it is so long. Most war comics at the time had two or three stories per issue – here was over 30 pages of non-stop action! Kanigher is at his best here – giving us plenty of action but some characterization, too, although in a short-handed way. “B Company got slaughtered, Rock.” “I got eyes.” Rock is both cold and caring. The Unknown Soldier is too. Mlle. Marie seems to be the only passionate fighter in the pack.

The art is excellent. Lee Elias’ spanned the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ages – known mainly for his work on the Golden/Silver Age Green Arrow. That being said, every time I open up a DC war comic I am slightly disappointed when the artist is NOT Joe Kubert. But Elias’s style is clean and clear and fits the story – James Sherman and Jack Abel reflect this style.

Rock had met the Unknown Soldier before, and they make an odd team-up. Easy with his combat-happy Joes of Easy Company do not mesh with the espionage of the Unknown Soldier’s world. But Kanigher pulls it off.

This is not the first time Mille. Marie gets short shrift in a team-up book (and when I was a kid reading these stories I thought her name was pronounced “Millie Marie”).

The Brave and the Bold #53 touted three Battle Stars: Sgt. Rock, Johnny Cloud, & The Haunted Tank (its crew obviously counted as one star…) also had Mlle. Marie. Four stars …

What do you expect in a man’s world?

***

Hercules Unbound #2

Posted by michael64curry

Behold! The Bronze Age!

Hercules Unbound #2, January 1976

“And Unleash the Hounds of Hell”

Cover: José Luis García-López, Editor: Joe Orlando

Writer: Gerry Conway; Penciler: José Luis García-López; Inker: Wally Wood

Hercules and Kevin are once again assaulted by humans-turned-demons in the streets of Paris. The meet a group of normal humans (including a beautiful blonde named Jennifer Morgan) who invite our heroes to their hidden living quarters.

Ares watches the exchange and summons Cerebus, a Nubian in charge of two-headed hounds, to kill Hercules. With the Son of Zeus dead, Ares explains, he can continue his war among the humans and burn the world to a crisp.

The Hounds of Hell attack Hercules and Cerebus runs off with Jennifer. Hercules defeats the Hounds and joins battle with the Nubian. Cerebus buries Herc in rubble and takes Jennifer as his prize.

Kevin revives Hercules and they track Cerebus to his lair in the remains of the Louvre. Inside Hercules and Kevin find a portal to hell. To save Jennifer, they must enter the Pit!

***

The letter page gives a synopsis of the previous issue and tells us of other comics written or drawn by the creative team.

***

Now we get to see some of Hercules’ fabled strength in battle, as well as some of his personality. Rather than the boastful Marvel hero, DC’s version is a little quieter but still boastful, grinning as he enters into battle and just as confident in his abilities.

Excellent sophomore entry. Lopez’s art is starting to seep through the heavy Wood inks to excellent effect. Kevin is still a mystery, but we do not question which side he is on. Good guys fighting the good fight.

***

“Epstein is Practical Joker” Welcome Back Kotter #2

Posted by michael64curry

Welcome Back Kotter #2. January, 1977.

Cover: Bob Oksner. Editor: Joe Orlando

“Mr. Woodman’s New Parking Spot”

Writer: Elliot S. Maggin, Penciler/Inker: Jack Sparling

Pranks and practical jokes are epidemic at James Buchanan High, and Epstein is to blame – if this keeps up, he could be expelled! But Epstein isn’t through – he drives Woodman’s car through the (removed) bay window and parks it in Woodman’s office.

The jokes continue. Epstein’s mother calls him at the school just as Kotter and the Sweathogs prepare an intervention to stop Epstein from his joking.

Epstein runs out of the school – his brother is dying and in the hospital, and it is all his fault! He played a joke on his brother who asked him for advice on how to pick up girls. The advice only got his brother beat up by the girl’s gang-leader boyfriend.

Kotter and the Sweathogs feel terrible, and go to the hospital to support Epstein. Naturally, because of their antics, they are thrown out!

Epstein vows to be more effective and less creative. Kotter falls for his own practical joke he was going to pull on Epstein during their intervention.

***

The text page gives us brief bios of the actors playing the four main Sweathogs … with headshots drawn much more life-like than this issue of the comic!

***

The artwork is not as good as last time: last issue all the characters looked like the actors that portrayed them. Not so this issue – except in a vague way. It looked rushed and sketchy.

The story is peppered with multi-paneled jokes (Kotter tries to hang up a painting, Kotter’s fingers get caught in a mouse-trap, etc.

I must admit I was expecting a serious “life lesson” ending, but instead it went for the silly, insipid “here-we-go-again” trope.

So there’s THAT …

***

Super Friends #2. January, 1977.

Posted by michael64curry

“Trapped by the Super-Foes”

Cover by Ernie Chan & Vince Colletta; Editor: Joe Orlando

Writer: E. Nelson Bridwell, Penciler: Ric Estrada, Inkers: Vince Colletta

A recap of the previous issue leads into Wonder Dog playing charades to warn Wendy and Marvin about Chick’s radio transmitter in his umbrella. Too late! The Super Foes invade the Hall of Justice and capture Wendy and Marvin. Wonder Dog escapes with Cheetah chasing after him.

He avoids Cheetah by running through a dog show (the entrants quickly start chasing Cheetah) and Wonder Dog re-enters the Hall of Justice secretly and uses the transporter to materialize up to the Justice League Satellite headquarters. The on-duty Flash beams up the Super Friends (and Krypto to translate) and they learn of Wendy and Marvin’s plight!

Penguin uses floating umbrellas to lift Wendy and Marvin in to the sky. Toyman uses toy hummingbirds to attack the balloons. Toyboy and Kitten worry – they do not want to take part in murder!

Fortunately, a batarang, heat vision and a golden lasso smash the mechanical birds just in time: the Super Friends save the day!

But it was all a distraction: during the rescue, the Super Foes stole all the parts to the Super Robot. Emergencies across the globe leave only Batman and Robin to track own the stolen robot parts.

The Junior Super Foes capture Batman and Robin. Penguins orders the Juniors to kill off the dynamic duo. The Juniors refuse. Just as Penguin is about the pull the trigger himself, he is knocked out by Marvin – he and Wendy snuck aboard the Batmobile in the best Spritle and Chim Chim fashion!

Wendy and Marvin convince the Juniors to help them catch the Super Foes, but Penguin activates the Super Robot to stop them all!

Superman swoops in and is nearly crushed by the robot, but finally defeats it with his mightiest blow. The Super Foes are captured, and our heroes promise to put in a good word for the Juniors.

Afterward, Queen Hippolyta the Amazonian mother of Wonder Woman looks into the Magic Sphere – the earth faces destruction unless it can be saved by three heroes: a girl, a boy and a dog (no, not Trixie, Spritle and Chim Chim)!

***

The letter page give brief origins for each of the Super Foes and hypes the next issue.

***

The story was again aimed at younger readers and the fans of the TV show – although with more violence (punches thrown, etc.). The art was not cartoonish – although the Juniors had wide eyes and Wonder Dog was drawn in a typical cross-eyed cartoon animal way.

Estrada and Colletta did a good and serious job.

***

Metal Men #47

Posted by michael64curry

Behold!

Metal Men #47. September 1976

“The ‘X’ Effect”

Cover: Walt Simonson; Editor: Gerry Conway

Writer: Gerry Conway; Penciler/Inker: Walt Simonson

Colorist: Carl Gafford; Letterer: Gaspar Saladino

Assistant Editors: Paul Levitz and Jack C Harris

Robert Kanigher is given a creator credit.

A cadmium robot attacks McMurdo Sound (Antarctica) Army Base but then suddenly disappears! For the next six days the base is attacked by a robot representing a different element: tungsten, barium and chromium and others.

Searching for the robots, the army finds the Metal Men wandering the polar wilderness, looking for Doc Magnus. The army attacks, thinking the Metal Men to be among the culprits! The army blast the robots’ de-freezing devices on their arms and capture the frozen (or in Mercury’s case, shattered) bodies.

HQ contacts the base and prevents the Metal Men’s destruction. The soldiers thaw out the robots who tell the military why they are in the Antarctic: last issue, Chemo hurled the safe containing Doc’s ten-million-dollar-ransom money into space. Doc’s computer calculated the safe landed somewhere in Antarctica.

As their hovercraft approached McMurdo Sound, the Metal Men and Doc Magnus were shot down and attacked by a giant Liquid Oxygen robot – destroying Tin and kidnapping Magnus! The Metal Men went in pursuit but were captured by the army.

Meanwhile, Doc Magnus confronts his kidnapper – it is Plutonium Man disguised as Doc Magnus! The evil robot explains how he came back to life after his previous battle with the Metal Men – he was able to split himself in two, causing his physical bodies to be below critical mass and reform. One robot retained Plutonium Man’s abilities, the other a drone who could change into any elemental robot. The robot harassed the army base, ensuring the soldiers would blame and attack the Metal Men when they were found!

Because of its rising radiation due to his hatred of Magnus, Plutonium Man unintentionally destroys the cash in the safe! The Metal Men and the army burst into PM’s hideout and attack! PM turns his drone into Liquid Helium who immediately freezes the soldiers and destroys Platinum. Plutonium Man destroys Lead, as Doc realizes that PM is headed for a chain reaction.

Lead covers the drone and melts it into slag – destroying it in much the same way Platinum destroyed PM back in issue 45. Gold flings Plutonium Man into a glacial fissure that seals itself shut due to PM’s excessive heat. It causes a massive earthquake, crushing the evil robot.

***

The letter column contains the mini-soapbox found in all of Conway’s Corner comics in summer/fall of 1976 asking for ideas and suggestions (how I longed for a team-up between Kobra and Kamandi!).

The letters on the Metal Men revival were very positive!

***

Hmm, was this a fill-in issue? It filled some of the holes left from the story arc from its final first-run issues. The only thing left was Magnus’ money.

I love the work of Gerry Conway. I do. In this storyline of the Metal Men conflict and eventual rapprochement with the army was excellent; but the Plutonium Man portion was … not. The science was silly and baseless. Oh, I know these are comic books and not a JPL thesis, but Gerry is better than this. PM’s return and his ability to control his drone isn’t even Star Trek-ish mumbo jumbo. Gerry doesn’t just make up science and hope we don’t giggle or roll our eyes.

I love the work of Walt Simonson. I do. Both he and Gerry Conway would be on the first inductees in any Comic Book Hall of Fame – on the first ballot (well, maybe behind Kirby and Kubert, but I think even THEY would agree with that…). But the art here was rough – even for Simonson’s gritty style. Was this a rushed fill-in issue? Should I ever meet either artist, I … well, I wouldn’t waste my time discussing THIS issue, I would be gushing about the exemplary work they have done elsewhere…

Even Babe Ruth struck out a few times…

***

DC’s the Human Target (part 2)

Posted by michael64curry

The Back Pages: back-up features of the Bronze Age of comic books:

Continuing the stories starring the Human Target as the back-up feature in Action Comics! Read part one here!

Action Comics #423. April 1973.

“The Deadly Dancer Contract!”

Writer: Len Wein, Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

Christopher Chance poses as a man named Hyram Walsh, an accountant informing on the mob, to draw out a hitman named Dancer – that man who killed his father. He knocks out two thugs trying to collect the price on Walsh’s head and leaves them in an alleyway. Tracking the killer down to an abandoned movie theater, Chance confronts Dancer. It is an intensely physical struggle, with a single gun between them. After a number of exchanged blows, Chance grabs the weapon. Chance points the gun at his assassin and reveals his true identity. Before he can kill him, Chance watches decades of mental illness finally catch up with Dancer. The man descends into madness before Chance’s very eyes, and he begs and pleads Chance to spare his life. The killer by now has completely snapped and begins hallucinating – seeing his father. Christopher takes pity on the villain, and stays to comfort him until an ambulance arrives to take him away.

***

Action Comics 425, July 1973

“The Short-Walk-to-Disaster Contract! Part 1”

Writer: Len Wein; Penciler: Neal Adams

Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

Let’s let Christopher Chance describe this issue: “It started as a favor for a friend, for Luigi, my landlord, whose cousin, Antonio, had wagered his half-share of a circus that he could walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls … only someone was trying to make sure he didn’t live that long. Easily, Luigi convinced me to impersonate his cousin … . Luigi tucked the real Antonio away as I became a reasonable facsimile … now I was the would-be killer’s intended victim … and it di not take him very long to strike! But surviving that kind of “accident” is what I do for a living. Within seconds, Id regained my feet, then pursued my unknown attacker across the silent circus grounds, around a blind corner, and ran straight into the tunnel-like muzzle of an angry gun … held by … Antonio!” (from the splash of Action Comics #426.

***

Action Comics 426, August 1973

“The Short-Walk-to-Disaster Contract! Part 2”

Writer: Len Wein; Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

How Antonio came out of hiding and ended up confronting Chance was never explained, but Chance deduced Antonio was NOT the killer he had been chasing (he was not winded, etc., and must have happened between Chance and the killer he was chasing) and Chance subdued him and convinced him to stay hidden until his killer is flushed out. Antonio agreed.

Chance, as Antonio, was half-way across Niagara Falls as the tightrope snapped! Suspended in mid-air Chance flew down to the crowd and knocked out his assistant – his partner Martin in disguise. Chance revealed he was suspended by wires from the news helicopter -hence his “flying” when the tightwire broke.

Chance was betting his partner wanted it to be an accident as opposed to a sniper shooting at him. If Martin had used a rifle, even Chance admits he might not have lived through it!

***

Action Comics 429, November 1973

“The Rodeo Riddle Contract”

Writer: Len Wein; Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

Someone is trying to kill rodeo star Rick Ryan. Chance ducks attempts on “his” life – by a thrown branding iron and a bucking bronco while keeping tabs on three suspects. Chance corners the three hoping one of them would snap. He did! Chance chases down the would-be killer and hog-ties the varmint. But he wasn’t supposed to kill Ryan – just scare him into marrying his girlfriend – so says his girlfriend in a twist confession!

***

Action Comics 432, February 1974

“The Million Dollar Methuselah Contract”

Writer: Len Wein; Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

From DC Wikia: Christopher Chance is hired by millionaire oilman Henderson Repp, who suspects his nephew is trying to kill him.

While riding a motorcycle through an oil field, disguised as Repp, Chance is attacked by an unknown assailant with a bazooka but only pretends to be dead to trick the assassin into believing he has succeeded. Chance is picked up by Repp’s secretary Deedee and visit an oil well to congratulate the workers as Repp would.

That night, Deedee is kidnapped and held captive at the same oil well seen earlier as Chance heads to the scene disguised as Repp again. The assassin fires on a dummy riding the motorcycle and that allows Chance to shoot the gun out of his hand. As Chance begins to climb the tower, the assassin threatens to explode a grenade and kill them all. Chance appears to lower his gun but fires a shot that dislodges the well cap. The oil shoots up and knocks the gunmen off the tower as the grenade explodes harmlessly.

The next day, Chance tells Repp that he should be safe as the assassin has provided enough information to arrest Repp’s nephew.

***

Thus ended the Human Target’s Action Comics run. We hear nothing else from Christopher Chance until he turns up in Brave & Bold in the midst of the greatest comic event of all time: The DC Explosion!! Why are you laughing? Then he appeared for several issues in the Dollar-Comic era of Detective Comics.

I hope you enjoyed this stroll through the Back Pages of DC’s Bronze Age. Go to my home page and type “Back Pages” for more Bronze Age goodness!

The Back Pages: The Human Target (part 1)

Posted by michael64curry

The Back Pages: back-up features of the Bronze Age of comic books:

The Human Target

From Wikipedia: “Christopher Chance, first appears in Action Comics #419 (December 1972), and was created by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino. This character, a private investigator and bodyguard who assumes the identities of clients targeted by assassins and other dangerous criminals …”

In the Bronze Age he appeared in Action Comics, Brave & Bold, Detective Comics and Batman. He was given a one-shot comic based on the 1991 TV show, and a six-issue miniseries based on the woefully ignored 2010 TV show. A Vertigo imprint title ran for 21 issues and a Special.

***

Action Comics #419. December 1972.

“The Assassin-Express Contract!”

Writer: Len Wein, Penciler: Carmine Infantino

Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

From DC Wiki: “Christopher Chance practices his skills on a private sound-proofed shooting range inside his Boston apartment. His close friend Luigi brings in a Mr. Smithers who wants to hire the Human Target for a case. Smithers works for Horizon Chemical Corporation and has accidentally hired a killer to murder his boss T.C. Newman, although he only intended to engage in some industrial espionage. He is hiring the Human Target to get the murder off his conscience. Chance takes the executives place on a train to California where he knows the assassin will strike, and figures out that his assailant is posing as the conductor. After dealing with a bomb in his compartment, he gives chase to the man and they end up fighting on the top of the car. Chance activates the emergency break with a gadget in his cufflink, and the hitman goes flying off to his death. Later, Smithers is relieved that they were successful, but he also loses his job when his boss discovers what happened.”

Infantino’s art, sometimes an acquired taste, is fantastic here! Giordano smooths the sharp edges for which Infantino’s art is most criticized. And the story sets the stage for future Human Target stories. A great beginning!

Plus this story has the honor of being reprinted in the special edition of Action Comics #1000!

***

Action Comics #420. January 1973.

“The King of the Jungle Contract!”

Writer: Len Wein, Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

From DC Wiki: “Christopher Chance is hired by famous hunter Gunther King, who believes that his rival Ernest Holoway is trying to kill him. The Human Target travels around disguised as King on safari in Kenya, dealing with traps that have been set for him. After fighting a lion and a buffalo, he gets into a gunfight with the hidden Holoway, but King steps in and apparently kills his nemesis before he can shoot Chris. Chance examines the body and realizes that Holoway had been murdered beforehand, the whole thing was an elaborate plot for King to get rid of his competition. The two men struggle, and Gunther King fires his muddy rifle which explodes into his face. The hunter falls backwards into a river, and his body washes away.”

***

Action Comics #422. March 1973.

“The Shadows-of-Yesterday Contract!”

Writer: Len Wein, Penciler/Inker: Dick Giordano, Editor: Julius Schwartz

From DC Wikia: Christopher Chance takes on Hyram Walsh as his client, a man who is being pursued by a ruthless killer with ties to Chance’s past. The assassin is the same man who killed Chance’s father. He takes on the case for nothing because the man can’t pay, and reflects on his origins.

Many years ago, when Christopher was a young child, his father Philip Chance struggled to provide for his family. In his desperation, he took out a loan from local gangster Amos Sharkey to invest in the stock market, but lost it all and was unable to pay. To send a message to others who couldn’t settle their debts, Sharkey sent a hitman named Dancer to kill him. One night while the two were walking home from school, they were cornered by Dancer in an alleyway. Chris leapt to defend his father, but was swept aside. His father sobbed and begged for his life, but was shot without hesitation. Strengthened by his own rage, Christopher tackled the murderer to the ground and nearly choked him to death before police sirens came. On his deathbed, Philip Chance told his son that he had to make something of himself, and be successful, like his dad never could. Christopher Chance watched his father die before his own eyes, and felt terrible that he couldn’t save him. He swore that as long as he could prevent it, nobody would ever have to suffer that kind of fear and humiliation again. That night, something changed inside of him, and he found himself completely unable to experience fear. He spent the rest of his life training himself to the peak of physical perfection, preparing himself for the dangerous path that lay ahead. Christopher Chance would become the Human Target.

(The flashback about Chance’s origins is reprinted as part of another Human Target story in Brave and the Bold #143 featuring another appearance by Amos Sharkey.)

The annual statement says that issues of Action Comics were selling around 542,000 copies!

The Human Target’s other Action Comics appearances are detailed here.

***

Mister Miracle #20

Posted by michael64curry

Behold, the Bronze Age!

Mister Miracle #20. October 1977

Cover: Marshall Rogers, Managing Editor: Joe Orlando

“Eclipse”

Writer: Steve Englehart, Penciler: Marshall Rogers, Inker: Terry Austin

Colorist: Liz Berube, Letterer: John Workman, Editor: Dennis O’Neil

From DC Wikia:

Mr. Miracle’s Mother Box grants him his last “miracles” — such as flight — and leaves. Meanwhile, Granny Goodness has kidnapped Big Barda and taken her to Earth’s Moon. Mr. Miracle and Oberon rescue her, but find that she has been conditioned, through torture, to believe that her husband is the enemy.

***

The text page explains who Ilya Hunch was (the inker from the previous issue that was the secret name for Crusty Bunkers – Neal Adams’ stable of superb artists from his Continuity Studios.

***

The story moves briskly with plenty of time for cosmic oddities from the Mother Box. An interesting theory is finally revealed – something that has bugged readers (well, me at least) for some time: why doesn’t Scott Free have powers like the other New Gods or Forever People?

After last issues tour-de-force, the artwork here is lacking a bit. Perhaps Rogers and Austin – who are otherwise infallible – are still feeling their way. Although some pages (such as the sequence where Mother Box speaks to Scott) are excellent – enough zip-tone shading to make Steranko jealous, some scenes are plain and flat. Maybe they were having an off month.

Still, good story, good art!

***

Isis #2. January 1977.

Posted by michael64curry

Cover Artists: Mike Vosburg & Jack Abel

***

“The Creature from Dimension X”

Writer: Steve Skeates; Penciler: Mike Vosburg

Inker: Vince Colletta; Letterer: Ben Oda

Editor: Dennis O’Neil; Managing Editor: Joe Orlando

From DC Wikia:

Two of Rick Mason’s students, Roger and Gini, are working on a project for the school science fair. When they activate the experiment, it produces a black hole hanging in midair. While Roger takes notes on how it happened, Gini goes to tell Rick and Andrea. A creature from another dimension steps out of the black hole. Behind Roger’s back it sneaks out of the room, then blasts an opening in the wall so it can escape.

Hearing the noise, Andrea, Roger and Gini, rush back only to find the hole in the wall and a puzzled Roger wondering what the noise was all about. Andrea sees smoking footprints on the outside and suspects some monster created the hole. She slips outside the building, changes into The Mighty Isis, and takes to the air in search of the creature. When Isis finds it, the creature blasts her out of the sky. Quickly recovering, she commands the water in a nearby fountain to spray the creature. Because it is made of pure electricity, the creature is in pain and it runs back to the high school. The creature returns and leaps back into the black hole as Roger continues with his experiments. Its foot catches part of the machinery and it explodes. Hearing the blast, Isis flies back to the school and takes Roger to the hospital.

Next day, when Gini visits Roger, he tells her about the monster, but Gini refuses to believe him. Later on, Gini recreates the experiment for Rick and more of the creatures appear. Andrea hears the commotion, changes into Isis, and magically activated the school sprinkler system to drive the creatures back to where they came.

***

“Lost and Found”

Same creative team as above but with art also by Frank Giacoia.

From DC Wikia:

Flying over a lake during a thunderstorm, The Mighty Isis rescues two children from their capsized canoe. She brings them back to their worried parents and flies away to change back into Andrea. She goes on to a faculty/student party at the High School.

At the party, Rick and Dr. Barnes tell Andrea about a scavenger hunt that got called off because of the bad weather. Cindy was the only person they couldn’t reach. Looking over the hunt checklist, Andrea finds that Cindy was sent to find a sea shell on the shores of the same lake Isis rescued the children from. Sensing danger, Andrea transforms herself into The Mighty Isis while running down the high school corridor. Isis soars like a falcon towards the lake and saves Cindy from being swept over a waterfall.

***

The text page by Denny O’Neil introduces the creative team and discusses the history of Isis from TV show to comic book.

***

This comic was on the shelves in the second week of September, 1976. That same weekend the TV show Isis was debuting its second season (comprising only seven new episodes – such a small number was typical of Saturday morning kid’s shows). Fans of the comic would be watching the show for the first time and fans of the show are enjoying this sophomore entry.

Steve Skeates is a legendary writer. He would be in any Comic Book Hall of Fame for his run on Aquaman alone. I’m always pleased to see his name in the credits!

Mike Vosburg was everywhere in the Bronze Age. From Wonder Woman in Adventure Comics to the later issues of Secret Society of Super-Villains. He was stylized – dark, sketchy and moody. A great artist, but an odd fit for a Saturday morning cartoon strip. He gives Isis a grittiness missing in her prior two appearances. Oddly, his art looks completely different in these two stories if only because of the inking – in the first story his style is hidden in the first few pages – although it comes out in the last two-thirds of the story. Vince Coletta was given the first credit in the second story; which it why it looks more like his work than Vosburg’s. But that is expected for an inker who stood up to Kirby’s Bronze Age style.

“Lost and Found” was much more like the television show with its lack of singular menace and moral at the ending. “The Creature from Dimension X” … well, even the title smacks of a Young Adult science fiction tale. It could have been a 1950s sci-fi radio drama.

Not an outstanding second effort, but a good one. Hopefully with the third issue the creators will find more solid footing with the characters; so far characterization has been a bit … thin.

***

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Currytakeaways

From the author of "Abby's Road" The Long & Winding Road to Adoption, and how Facebook, Aquaman and Theodore Roosevelt helped!"

Author: michael64curry

J’onn J’onzz Martian Manhunter; Mission: Catch a Killer (part one)

DC Super-Stars Vol 1 #15, August, 1977

Hercules Unbound #2

“Epstein is Practical Joker” Welcome Back Kotter #2

Super Friends #2. January, 1977.

Metal Men #47

DC’s the Human Target (part 2)

The Back Pages: The Human Target (part 1)

Mister Miracle #20

Isis #2. January 1977.