Mike Vosburg

Isis #6. September 1977.

Posted by

0

logo

“The Ominous Ooze”

Cover Artists: Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta

Writer: Jack C Harris; Penciler: Mike Vosburg

Inker: Vince Colletta; Letterer: Ben Oda

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

From DC Wikia:

A unit of the Egyptian Army is on the march. From the air, the Mighty Isis magically stops their tanks and lands before their commander. She tells him that she will not allow them to take human lives. Suddenly, a purple, malodorous Ooze moves over the desert sands. Isis uses the sand to lift her into the sky as she tries to think of a way to destroy the Ooze. She watches in horror as the Ooze digests a camel. Then, the Ooze disappears, leaving a puzzled Isis to ponder that, since this defies the laws of science, what would Andrea Thomas do in a situation like this.

Back in the United States, Rick begins his search for Andrea and drives to the home of Andrea’s mother in Missouri. The target of Rick’s search is flying over the trail of destruction left by the Ooze, which ends in an abandoned oil field. She lands and confronts Mister Emal, the creator of the Ooze. He orders his henchmen to release it, but the Ooze machine runs out of its plutonium fuel. They pull out their guns to kill Isis, but the local military General, Abdel, orders them not to. Isis warns that she will keep a close watch on them, then flies away.

Rick arrives in Fairfax, Missouri and meets Viola Thomas, Andrea’s mother. He tells her that Andrea is missing and asks where she might be. At the same time, Dr. David Munch, who works for General Abdel, drives to a top secret government research lab to sneak out the fuel for a large scale version of the Ooze machine. Isis locates Abdel and Emal and hitches a ride on their airplane to the USA. In overhearing their plans for their Ooze Machine, she learns that their destination is Fairfax, Missouri, where Andrea’s mother lives. Isis leaves the plane and flies to Fairfax.

After landing, Isis changes back into Andrea to explain to her mother that she wants to remain as Isis forever. She spots Rick there and waits for him to go away. In a nearby clearing, Abdel, Emal and Munch start up the full-size Ooze Machine. As it begins to digest the trees and grass in the clearing, the Ooze engulfs the machine and flows out of control. Rick is about to leave when Andrea’s mother spots the approaching Ooze.

Andrea becomes The Mighty Isis and takes to the air. She tries to destroy the Ooze by removing the ground moisture and by using solar heat, but to no avail. The Ooze now catches up with its creators. Isis tries to rescue them but arrives too late. Now it goes after Rick and Mrs. Thomas. As Isis rescues them, she realizes that the Ooze feeds on organic matter. Remove it and the Ooze should die. As Isis separates the ground, the Ooze digests the remaining matter on it and dies. After Isis replaces the ground, Rick asks her why she just happens to be in Missouri. When she replies that she is where she is needed, Rick demands that she explain the connection between her and Andrea. Andrea’s mother asks Isis if she knows where her daughter is. She replies, “I cannot tell you the location of your child”. As she takes to the air, Rick begins to wonder if Isis has kidnapped Andrea.

***

The letter column still has positive letters and Cary Burkett hints at a visit in the book by Captain Marvel! They also promise they will pin down Isis’ powers and origin, as promised in the final panel blurb – next issue, the Origin of Isis!

***

Mike Vosburg’s art is a mixed bag here – honestly as much as I love his work he is an acquired taste. But look at this beautiful full-page spread …Isis 6 page

Other pages, however, appear rushed and sketchy.

So Andrea is not gone for good, but the comic certainly goes into a direction far from the television series, which by now is in its final months of summer reruns. Perhaps the sales reflected this and the editors allowed Mr. Harris to do what he wished with the characters – add romance, make Isis a little more arrogant, etc. I wish they would have had more time to develop these ideas.

But the end is coming…

***

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!

Isis #5. July 1977.

Posted by

0

“Perilous Pyramid Power”

Cover Artists: Mike Vosburg & Vince Colletta

Writer: Jack C Harris; Penciler: Mike Vosburg

Inker: Vince Colletta; Editor: Dennis O’Neil; Managing Editor: Joe Orlando

logo

From DC Wikia: During a class field trip to the observatory, the astronomer spots a UFO in Earth orbit. Andrea slips into another room and becomes the Mighty Isis. When she reaches the alien spacecraft, she finds that the air is too thin, so she cannot utter a spell to stop it. She is stunned by a force beam and plummets back to Earth. She lands near the highway and, unconscious, changes back into Andrea.

As Rick starts to look for her, Andrea awakens and begins to doubt why she has to put up with the pressures of being, “The World’s Only Human Goddess”. Andrea comes back to her apartment where Rick is waiting for her. When he demands an explanation, she says that where she goes is none of his business. Rick then has to tell her she’s been laid off by the school board. After throwing Rick out of the apartment, Andrea decides that this is the last straw and says, “Oh Mighty Isis — FOREVER!”

The next day, Isis shows up at the high school to take Andrea’s place. She is appalled when the students ask her about the secrets of nature and she walks out.

Meanwhile up in orbit, the alien observes Isis as she flies back to Egypt. Isis brings forth her sacred dwelling from its hiding place, near the Great Pyramid at Giza. The alien, having landed nearby, declares that he is Aten, the Sun God of the Egyptian heretic, Akenaten. He tells Isis how thousands of years ago he was forced to land his damaged spacecraft in Egypt. He came to be worshipped by Akenaten and his Queen, Nefertiti. He taught them Astronomy and other sciences. The Egyptians taught him the powers of the Gods and their pyramids. When Akenaten died, Aten knew the people would soon revolt, so he buried a signal device to warn him if the Gods of Egypt returned and left for his home planet. The planet’s high council then banished Aten for interfering with Earth’s development. Now, to gain revenge on the council, he returns to use the power of the Great Pyramid; the same one that Isis receives her powers.

Isis tells Aten that she would destroy the pyramid before letting him use it, so Aten attacks Isis with a power bolt. She replies with a power bolt of her own, but Aten absorbs it and hurls it back at her. True to her word, Isis then destroys the source of her power, the Great Pyramid. Aten marvels at the Goddess who gave up her powers to stop his plans for revenge and leaves the Earth. Isis smiles a knowing smile, then uses Andrea’s knowledge of geometry to magically reshape the pyramid.

Back in the United States, Rick and Cindy discuss Andrea’s disappearance and Rick decides to go look for her. However, Andrea Thomas no longer exists. The Mighty Isis has returned — forever.

***

The letter column promises us a new direction: is Andrea really gone forever?

***

A great story – we see that Isis and Andrea really are two separate individuals who share the same space! At times in this comic it seems they disagree on issues – they might not even like each other!

***

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!

 

Isis #4, May 1977

Posted by

0

logo

Cover Artists: Mike Vosburg & Dick Giordano

“Treasure of Lost Lake”

Writer: Jack C. Harris; Penciler: Mike Vosburg

Inker: Vince Colletta; Letterer: Ben Oda

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

From DC Wikia:

Andrea, Cindy and Rick drive to the Wolfeboro Summer Resort in New Hampshire. They wish to study an ancient legend concerning Iroquois relics supposedly buried in Lake Winnipesaukee. When they arrive at the lake, a large sea monster reaches out and attacks them with its tentacles. Andrea changes into Isis, but her magic doesn’t seem to affect the creature. Isis retreats from the scene, and the monster sinks back down beneath the water’s surface. Isis changes back into Andrea Thomas and regroups with Rick and Cindy.

Rick begins investigating the case on his own and finds what appears to be the living spirit of an Iroquois warrior named Mocinnivo. The warrior runs into the lake towards the sea monster, whereupon Rick discovers that the monster is just an elaborately disguised undersea vehicle. The monster grabs Rick with its tentacles and begins drowning him.

Isis arrives and fights back against the monster. With the help of Tut, she eventually disables the craft, and pulls Mocinnivo out from the cockpit. Tugging at his face, they discover that Mocinnivo is actually a lodge owner named Mister Marra, who wanted to horde the legendary treasure for himself. The spirit of the real Mocinnivo appears and thanks Isis and the others for helping preserve his people’s heritage.

***

“Avalanche!”

Writer: Steven Skeates, Pencils: Mike Vosburg

Inker: Bob Smith

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

From DC Wikia: Andrea Thomas goes skiing in the mountains of New Hampshire. On one of the lifts, she meets a big game hunter named Big Roy, who boasts about all of the elk he plans on hunting in the surrounding area. Andrea doesn’t care for the man’s demeanor and quickly takes her leave of him.

Some time later, Big Roy tracks down an elk and shoots it with his rifle. The echo of the gunshot prompts an avalanche and tons of snow begins rushing down towards the ski resort. Andrea Thomas transforms into Isis and uses her elemental control over the wind to blow several ski lift carriages to safety. She finds that Big Roy is buried beneath some snow and debris, so she flies down to rescue him.

***

The letter column contained more positive reviews of the debut issue and promised more details as to Andrea’s personal life, a headquarters for our hero and a new direction away from the teenage-lesson-oriented themes of the TV show.

***

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!