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Forgot to mention about NEW GODS #8... there's signs Kirby wasn't quite on his game when he did this, art-wise. For the most part, it's pretty good, but there are a few pages that seem really "off", where it's getting looser, more impressionistic, more "cartoony". Page 6, the arrival of Orion & Lightray really stands out. And while the writing and storytelling is absolutely TO-NOTCH, none of the finishes are quite up to earlier standards here.
I wonder exactly WHEN, in terms of production, Jack found out things were going bad behind-the-scenes?
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JIMMY OLSEN #150 / Jun’72 – “WHERE’S CHARLIE NOW?”
Back in 1958, determined to make some extra money, Jack Kirby managed to take over the Green Arrow series, which was then running in both ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS. Typically for Jack, although he was told DC editor Jack Schiff already had “commitments” to other writers, he made as many modifications to the scripts of others as possible, in order to improve the series and “turn it into something exciting”. A mere 7 months and 11 episodes later, Kirby had his infamous falling out with Schiff, and his DC work evaporated. As one might expect, no sooner was Kirby gone, then Green Arrow returned to its previous style as one of DC’s dullest strips, and stayed that way for a decade.
Well, in 1970, Jack Kirby, at the request of DC, wound up taking over an existing series of his choice, and he picked JIMMY OLSEN because it was between creative teams at that moment. As anyone who’se read my previous reviews has seen, the change in look, tone, style, approach, EVERYTHING, was the equivalent of an atomic bomb going off on a monthly basis. 18 months and 15 issues later, Jack left JIMMY OLSEN to begin other projects. Editors Joe Orlando & E. Nelson Bridwell took over, and the main feature was put into the hands of writer John Albano & artist Bob Oksner. I’m gonna take a guess the SAME thing that happened to Green Arrow happened to Jimmy when Jack left. I have to guess, because I’ve never read any of the post-Kirby episodes. And judging by Oksner’s covers, well, let’s just say I think he was MUCH better when he was doing JERRY LEWIS. It’s no shame to do “cartoony” art—especially when you’re REALLY good at it! I’m afraid Oksner was wasting his time doing superheroes (but that’s just my opinion).
ANYWAY... in addition to Jimmy, this issue (according to the GCD) contained a Plastic Man reprint from POLICE COMICS #20 (Jul’43). It also contained a NEW episode starring The Newboy Legion, by E. Nelson Bridwell & artist Win Mortimer (who had illustrated LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES from 1968-70).
“WHERE’S CHARLIE NOW?” opens with the boys discovering that “Angry Charlie”, the creature they brought back from The Evil Factory in Scotland, has somehow escaped from his cage. Now, follow me here... his cage isn’t in The D.N.A. Project where you’d expect—it’s not even in a zoo. It’s in someone’s back yard in Brooklyn. WHAT th’...? Big Words quickly figures out someone opened the cage and let him loose. Scouring the neighborhood, they find an 18-wheeler and several cars overturned, evidence that he’s been by.
Meanwhile, as a neighborhood candy store (anybody remember these?), a little girl named Kathy is telling the owner, her grandfather, that she’s found a stray and wants to know if she can keep him. He berates her for repeatedly freeing stray dogs from the dog-catchers and filling the basement with every stray animal she runs across. Just then, some local toughs demand service, despite a long habit of never paying for their food. When the owner objects, they get rough—at least, until (who didn’t see this coming?) Angry Charlie wanders out of the basement and sends them packing.
Sometime later, Gabby is telling a policeman he’s been searching for “the animal” all day, and once he finds it he’s sure Superman will see to it it never gets loose again. At that point, the store owner calls Gabby over, and shows him Charlie, who’s been eating candy to his heart’s content. Gabby leads Charlie away on a leash... but moments later, Charlie gets loose again, without Gabby even noticing. OY!
I’m not sure, but I suspectr this was the LAST appearance of The Newboy Legion, or Angry Charlie, until they were revived in the Post-CRISIS / New DC Universe, sometime in the late 80’s. Probably just as well, if this was how they might have been handled.
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MISTER MIRACLE #8 / Jun’72 – “THE BATTLE OF THE ID!”
“APOKALIPS! --- a world without mercy! A jungle of the super-strong!! The creation of evil gods whose code is SHAPE UP—OR DIE!!! Unable to escape the long arm of that code, Scott Free and Big Barda have returned—to face... THE BATTLE OF THE ID!” And under this intro, we see a squad of 4 soldiers who’ve just taken a terrible beating... “I can find my way to my barracks WITHOUT a military escort from GRANNY GOONESS!” Barda approaches the “Female Furie Battalion Special Powers Force” bunker.
Inside, a 2-page spread shows us chaos as the wild, dangerous-looking members of the unit battles amongst themselves to choose a new leader. They’re so busy, they don’t even notice Barda until she speaks up. “BREAK IT UP, YOU BLOODTHIRSTY HARPIES! I’ve come back! --- and I’m in no mood for noise! I’m STILL in command, make NO mistake about THAT!! But DON’T let me cool your battle fever! We’re going to FIGHT tonight! ---we’re going to attack and invade SECTION ZERO!!”
Which ends the 4-page intro, and brings us to the splash page beginning the main story... “SECTION ZERO!! In the grim world of Granny Goodness Orphanage, these words alone conjure up the deep underlying fear and secrecy that shroud a function of Granny’s operation which is never talked about! Those who vanish into Section Zero are never seen again!! But their cries are heard! ---and what is done to their bodies—is hidden by seething gases!! --- unidentified vapor rising from deep pits --- crossing spiny catwalks --- assaulting the senses of --- SCOTT FREE --- MISTER MIRACLE”
Armed guards escort Scott across a catwalk, and from below, horrible mutations reach up to grab him. The image of them reminds me of THE OUTER LIMITS episode, “A Feasibility Study”. This is some sick S*** going on here. Next, Scott’s strapped down to a table next to one of the mutates, a huge mass known as “The Lump”. He’s prepared for “psycho-merge”—the “mind hook-up”. Scott winds up facing his foe entirely in his mind, where anything The Lump imagines becomes real, actually happens, and if he dies in there, Scott will die for real! It’s a situation so IDENTICAL to the one seen in the DOCTOR WHO story “The Deadly Assassin” one can’t help but wonder if writer Robert Holmes (one of the best that show ever had) hadn’t read this story first.
Granny arrives to watch, and is joined by Kanto and Virmin Vundabar. Refering back to his earlier defeat, Vundabar brags it took him little time to climb out of that deep pit Scott dropped him into. Kanto, meanwhile, dismisses the idea of failure, and claims he decided “not to succeed”, since he knew Scott was headed for his current fate. But then a robed, hooded figure is escorted in by armed guards—descibred as being “of HIGH rank” but bearing the status of “Non-Being”. The prisoner, who is not allowed to talk with anyone, speaks anyway. “I WOULDN’T ordinarily leave my upholsetered cell for one of Granny’s ROTTEN little amusements, but the loneliness of the passing years is WORSE!” “DON’T MAKE ANY REPLY! She is to talk to NO ONE!” “That jackal barks in the safety of his pack! But this caged “killer-cat” WAITS! She lives and WAITS. For somewhere outside roams her own kind—HER SON!!” Pulling off her hood, she is revealed as Tigra—who we know from NEW GODS #7 is none other than Darkseid’s wife—and Orion’s mother!
As the battle continues, Granny notes admiration in Kanto’s reactions. “Perhaps, Madam! We are --- what we ARE---“ She suggests that perhaps someday Darkseid may order him to kill HER,m and he replies, “It would fill me with INFINITE sadness, sweet Granny!! ---Still, I should be discreetly silent, ---respectful--- THOROUGH!” “You CHARMING swine!! On such a day, BEWARE! The pupil shall face --- his TEACHER!!”
The battle continues, and the pacing and ferocity is a tribute to Kirby’s skills as a storyteller. But while it’s going on, Barda & her troops invade Section Zero, and we see Gilotina (one of the less scary-looking Female Furies) get cozy with a guard before laying him out. What follows is a violent free-for-all between 2 opposing armed squads. Makes you wonder about how discipline and chain-of-command works on Apokalips when one Commanding Officer orders their people to attack another one, and they follow the command without hesitation!
Just when it looks like Lump has beaten Scott, Tigra comments, “How FAR has this kingdom fallen that such DEGRADING combat should be tolerated!?” An interesting comment on Apokalips in general, I think, as Tigra represents a period from before “The Great Clash” when perhaps there was more honor and less mindless brutality for its own sake there. Perhaps this helps to explain why Darkseid, who was forced to marry Tigra against his will by his mother, so utterly despised his own mother (smiling and sucking up to her all along) that he had her bumped off, and then had his wife exiled and imprisoned? She represents a path all of Apokalips might have taken, had it not been for Darkseid’s single-minded lust for power regardless of the cost to everyone and everything on the entire planet.
Just then The Female Furies arrive, and all hell breaks loose. One exchange is particularly revealing... “Care to TEST my blade, Kanto?” BERNADETH! I find the sister of the Great Darkseid incredibly DISARMING!” Who would have guessed—especially this is apparently the ONLY time in the entire 4W series this bit of information is ever mentioned? (No endlessly beating readers over the head with it issue after issue after issue like most writers or editors would insist.)
Barda confronts Granny... “SCOTT FREE IS DEAD! Unlike yourself, he UNDERSTOOD the rules laid down by Granny—and died an HONRABLE death!! As for YOU, traitor—“ “TRAITOR? YOU DARE CALL ME TRAITOR? Why, I’m the PUREST, most SUPERIOR product you ever turned out! When they find Scott--- I’m going to KILL you—Granny!” “Y-you-re- MAD! Defy ME--- and-you-defy--- DARKSEID!” “I’m DOING it! With Scott dead—I’m going to DESTROY everything that KILLED him!!” “URRRGHH—“ “HAG!! You taught me HOW to hate! But you COULDN’T teach me WHOM to hate!!” (Gee, even in the midst of such rage, correct grammer!)
But just them, Scott calls out, “NO, BARDA! YOU MUSTN’T!! In HERE, Barda! I’ve WON my trial by combat!” “SCOTT!! SCOTT!! YOU’RE ALIVE! Scott! I should have known!- I should have stayed COOL with Mister Miracle—instead of being PANICKED by Granny!” “It’s the secret of her power! ---the ability to SHAKE our self-confidence!!” Oh, do I know how true that is—whether it refers, in my own life, to my FATHER, the CHURCH I used to go to for 30 years, or half the BOSSES I’ve worked for.
Scott reveals he used a reflective surface to force the Lump to face the one thing he couldn’t stand—“THE HORRIBLE SIGHT OF HIMSELF!” As Barda notes, “He’s a STRANGE creature indeed! ---with a MONUMENTAL inferiority complex!!” As more and more years go by, I find myself noting that about a LOT of individuals who spend most of their time mis-treating other people.
This actually pretty much wraps up the entire “first act” of MISTER MIRACLE. Although there’s one more very important episode coming (up next, too!), after this, the book veers off in a new and different direction.
For the most part, Kirby & Royer’s art this time has bordered on perfection—although there were a few pages, particularly during the “Battle of the Id” that seemed more cartoony than usual, and almost remnded me of watching a TV cartoon! Actually, it makes me wish more TV cartoons had art THIS good!
This issue’s Golden Age reprint is the very 1st appearance of THE BOY COMMANDOS, from DETECTIVE COMICS #64 (Jun’42).
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It's a crazy cool story. I thought Morrison did well by it when he re-used the Lump in his Batman story.
From: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | Registered: Sep 2004
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FOREVER PEOPLE #9 / Jul’72 – “MONSTER IN THE MORGUE!”
Near the end of their disastrous 25-cent format, DC began to imitate Marvel’s horrific 3-sided border cover design, with a 2-sided border even more cramped, over-loaded and oppressive-looking. In addition to the usual word balloons and blurbs in the art panel, they continued to shove too much test above the logo, and added a line of character portraits (not one but a whole set of them!) running down the left side of the cover. Man. There sure was a lot of BAD design going on in the 70’s. This issue has close-ups of all 5 Forever People, along with their names, making that upper-left corner circle with all 5 of their faces kind of redundant. And shoved up at the top, another close-up portrait, together with the line: “SEE The Eerie Return Of DEADMAN!!” Good grief. What’s HE doing here?
“Laboring in NAMELESS places everywhere are the OBSCURE dreamers, the LONE WOLVES who take the SIMPLISTIC road to fulfillment! Some succeed and go down in history—others generate nightmares that almost drown history! In every age they’ve made mankind tremble in the dark! Now meet “DOC” GIDEON, who produces more than he bargained for, with his --- MONSTER IN THE MORGUE!” You know, another odd thing I’m seeing a lot is covers being overly similar to splash pages—or is that just on Kirby comics? Makes me almost think Jack was aware of the market for illegal half-price comics with half or all of the covers torn off. This way, if you’re missing the cover, you’re not missing anything important.
Working in the city morgue, “Doc” Gideon follows in the footsteps of Dr. Frankenstein, but his experiment with trying to imbue a dead body with life via electrical stimulation fails. Or... does it? In some inexplicable fashion, the energy unleashed calls the spirit of murdered sideshow carny aerialist Boston Brand—alias DEADMAN—back from wherever he’s gone, in the wake of presumably finding his killer and avenging his death. (Nobody bothers to mention in what comic this story took place.)
“For those who came in late...” DEADMAN was created by Arnold Drake, with a costume designed by Carmine Infantino. He debuted in STRANGE ADVENTURES #205 (Oct’67) in a story titled “Who’s Been Lying In My Grave?” Arnold wrote a 2nd installment, but before it went any further, his editor, Jack Miller, asked HIS boss if he could pick up some extra money writing more stories, and managed—CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS??—to have Drake KICKED OFF his own series only one episode had been published! CRIMINAL!!! Not only that, but in the original printing, Miller got credit AND pay for the 2nd episode, which Arnold wrote. (This was corrected in subsequent reprints.) The next 11 episodes were illustrated by Neal Adams, who was making a HUGE splash at the time (although Mike Sekowsky did a DYNAMITE cover for the 2nd story in SA #206). Adding insult to injury, Miller only got paid for the next 6 episodes (only 5 of which he actually wrote) before HE was replaced, by Neal Adams. But, of course, Drake NEVER came back. (Like I said—CRIMINAL!!!)
Although I did see that 2nd cover when it was originally onsale (“This is crazy—they sent us to kill a DEAD man!” “Here’s something crazier—he grave is EMPTY!”), I never read any of his stories until he turned up as a feature in ADVENTURE COMICS in the late 70’s. Later, I managed to read the original run thanks to the 1985 “deluxe” reprint series. I recall a detailed article in there describing his history, and if memory serves, there was some mention of how his appearance in FOREVER PEOPLE did not seem to fit in with the already-existing stories. Hmm. (For that matter, in 1986 a 4-issue mini-series was published which presented the “REAL” conclusion of his story, retroactively INSERTED in between 2 of his early-70’s appearances! I gotta go back and re-read these one of these days...) So basically, I’m not sure where—or if—this story is supposed to fit or follow or whatever. But, it’s Kirby, so... onward!
Our teen heroes stop a couple of thugs from stealing an old lady’s life savings, and she repays them by renting them rooms in her boarding house. Trixie Magruder is a real character, feisty, stylish, an ex-carny fortune-teller who’d been a flapper and quite the hot number in the “jazz age”. She offers Beautiful Dreamer one of her dresses to replace her “disaster in the glad-rag department”. But no sooner does Dreamer insist “The body is merely a THREE-DIMENSIONAL VEHICLE! It’s out TOTAL selves that beautify us!”, Serifan uses one of his comic cartridges to alter its atomic pattern into some thing more “today”.
As it happens, “Doc” Gideon is also a boarder, and when he overhears Serifan describing one of his cartridges as transmitting a “life-force” which he is still investigating, “Doc” decides to use it to retry his experiment. For fun, Trixie holds a seance, during which Dreamer creates an eerie lightshow illusion to augment the experience. To the surprise of everyone, especially Trixie, the spirit of Boston Brand appears and speaks directly to her! It seems Trixie was there when Boston was murdered, and she informs him the killer had a hook on his RIGHT hand-—not on his left, as “The Hook” (who he believed was the killer) did.
Meanwhile, “Doc” steals the blue cartridge, straps it to the forehead of his creation, and manages to bring it to a form of “life”. But in the process, his lab is destroyed, he’s badly injured, and his “monster” is loose on the streets causing havoc. The kids are drawn to the scene, and Big Bear is momentarily distracted by a movie house running a double-bill of old horror movies. A battle rages, and moves into the sewers, where, with Deadman’s help, the monster is completely incapacitated when a gas main explodes. After Serifan seals the leak the rest confront the monster, through whom Deadman speaks to them. Serifan helps him to visually materialize, and they promise to help him gain a “new form” to function in the physical world.
This is some wild stuff, even for a Kirby book. On several of the early pages, the drawing and linework seems much cruder and simpler than usual, but once the main cast appears, for the most part, the line quality is beautiful, up to Kirby-Royer’s usual high standards. On the letters page, it’s mentioned that Sonny Sumo is “bound” to make a return appearance sometime. (Sadly, decades later, this has not come to pass.) It’s also mentioned that Deadman “...was a rather intriguing character when he first started but never quite found his direction or audience.” Gee, do you suppose this had anything to do with his CREATOR getting KICKED OFF the character after only 2 installments??
Further: “What you can send us ia a letter as to what you think of the introduction of Deadman into this comic. To be sure, this is not the same Deadman that once appeared in STRANGE ADVENTURES and now materializes for an occasional reprint. It took considerable planning to decide what to do with him and we hope this will be the first step toward a new “life” for Deadman. (There’s no way to phrase that which doesn’t sound stupid.)” Now that’s interesting. There’s no hint as to whether the “planning” was done by Jack Kirby alone, or was something hatched by others and dumped in his lap. One thing I am pretty sure of (vague memory or not), is that sometime after this, his 2-issue stint in FP was treated by many as though it never happened.
This issue’s Sandman (and Sandy The Golden Boy) reprint is from ADVENTURE COMICS #74 (May’42), “The Man Who Knew All The Answer!”
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In a variation of the 2-sided panel cover design, Jack Kirby had the panel extend all the way up, and filled it with 2 full-figure shots of his heroes, Light-Ray and Orion. Light-Ray, in particular, shows a much cruder, rougher drawing style than we’ve seen for the most part. Jack’s art seemed to be evolving, here and there, into something more “cartoony”, yet still with an explosively powerful feel to it. The main panel introduces yet another new character, perhaps as Carmine Infantino’s urging, as I’ve heard he wanted Jack to come up with as many new characters as possible, perhaps as some kind of hedge against Marvel introducing similar characters. Sometimes you can’t shake the feeling Jack was brought over to DC not to benefit DC or Jack himself, but mostly to stick it to Marvel. Hooray for “free enterprise” and “fair competition”.
“War is a process of violent, never-ending BEGINNINGS! What once began as the first “Great Clash” between The New Gods—also began bacteriological attack!! ---the spreading of toxic “MICRO-LIFE” as a “destructant!” This life did NOT end with the “Clash!” It FESTERED! It GREW! It EVOLVED! And it was DIFFERENT!!! THIS IS “FORAGER!” HE’S A “FOOD-SEEKER!” To a teeming multitude, his kind means an end to hunger! To The New Gods, he’s merely typical of THE BUG!” Wow. Can this guy write, or what? Kirby seems to be commenting on the way “The Great War” ended nothing, and caused the birth of new kinds of evil that resulted in World War Two. But the use of the word “destructant” brings to mind “defoliant”, a term used during the Viet Nam War. I believe by 1972, the American public was already becoming aware of G.I.’s returning who not only were not honored by their country, but had to fight to gain recognition for problems caused by chemicals used by their own side. Imagine if those chemicals spawned living beings?
The story opens with a raiding party sent to gather food and take it back to “The Mound”, fought off by “High-Father’s deadly MONITORS” (who we’ve seen before) who employ a poison spray to “halt the PESTS”. Though human in form and exhibiting intelligence, Forager and his people are treated as if they were a far lower form of life. One might be inspired to question, is this any different from how men in general are treated in ANY war?
Back in NYC, Lightray & Orion, still exhibiting his true, scarred face, surprise one Eve Donner, a playwrite whose penthouse balcony they’ve alighted on. “I was SO intrigued by the incredible rumors! The bulletins are STILL flashing about last night--! ---stories of SUPER-BEINGS and MONSTERS!” In a close-up focusing on his brutal features, Orion replies, “Oh, YES, madam! ---THERE WERE MONSTERS!!”
Back on New Genesis, while the colony feeds, Forager eats alone, apart from having to fight off a large scaly brute who intrudes. “I’ll take that, Forager! I am the STRONGER!” “You’ll have to PROVE it!” Gee, I guess not even being a respected individual who helps supply food for the entire colony is enough to inspire respect among SOME low-lifes. But they’re interrupted by “Prime One”, a tall, imperial-looking leader whose rainments suggest Arabian Nights influence. Prime One and Forager discuss the way Forager is so different from his fellows, as he thinks, feels, imagines, and sees a much bigger picture than just living hand-to-mouth. Forager envisions that if his people and “The Eternals” could learn to understand each other, both might not live in fear anymore. But their conversation is also interrupted, by a giant “Armored killer species” sent against them in retaliation for the last raid.
In NYC, a scene out of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST begins to take shape, before Orion wakes up and Eve pulls away. He reserves his rage for Darkseid.”COME OUT! SHOW YOURSELF! SEND ME NO LESSER BEASTS LIKE KALIBAK!! HEAR ME, DARKSEID! IN THE END IT SHALL BE YOU AND I-! POWER AGAINST POWER! YOUR DEATH—OR MINE!!!” “What have I been toying with?”, Eve asks. “The presence of pure and total destruction!”, replies Lightray.
Below New Genesis, we learn that Mantis has arrived to ally himself with Forager’s people, promising to take them to “a place of abundance and food! A place where OUR kind can RULE!” Forager realizes this isn’t on the up-and-up, and seeks to inform Prime One, only to find him a prisoner, slated to DIE at the command of the “All-Widow” who rules. “Mantis seeks to draw us into a war between Eternals! We will be used as weapons!--- not equals! Do you see the importance of that?” “YES! No matter which of the Eternals win—they shall STILL regard us as--- BUGS!” Boy, do I sense Jack is commenting here on ALL foot-soldiers, in ALL wars.
As Prime One is dragged away for execution, he drops a bomb. After warning Forager that Orion stands a better chance of stopping Mantis than he does, Forager asks, “But HOW can I hope to talk with the Eternal!? I’m a BUG! He would stamp me to death without mercy!” “He will NOT! Your life is a LIE! You’re NOT one of US! You’re HIS kind!!” Whoa. It seems a running theme in the 4W saga has just continued to run. As we’ve already seen, both Orion and Scott Free were different from those they grew up with, because they were NOT natives. It seems the SAME goes for Forager. But what is HIS story? I’m not sure we ever had a chance to find out...
In NYC, the time for rest and contemplation is about to end. Orion says, “Give me Darkseid’s neck, and I will DECIDE this war!” I bet he would. As he leaves, they leave it up to Eve how she would judge Orion at the moment he met death— “with scorn--- or a tear”. Alone, she chooses neither. “It’s not death, or scorn, or sympathy, I wish for you!--- but only what you left unifinished HERE!--- A TIME OF PEACE---!” On arriving at Dave Lincoln’s apartment, the pair are “busted” by the cops, sent to take them to Sergeant Turpin.
Meanwhile, Mantis has ordered Forager’s death, who’s determined not to give up until HE’s managed to return the favor. But the odds against him become obvious, and, suddenly, in the heat of battle, something utterly inexplicable appears... “A great HOLLOW CYLINDER emerges from the very air itself!” Yes—it’s a BOOM TUBE—and Forager is accidentally drawn into it, where he’s swept along uncontrollably. “It seems ENDLESS in distance! WHERE can it lead to?” Behind him, Mantis is pissed (as usual). “You WON’T cheat me for long, Forager-! A MIGHTY host will soon be on your heels!” “Meanwhile, Forager’s flight has come to a halt!! He’s reached the OTHER end of the “Boom Tube”!” “This is WONDEROUS, indeed! Before me is a place the like of which I’ve NEVER seen! This is where Mantis and the bugs will ATTACK! Does it also hold ORION?” Coming up: “EARTH--- THE DOOMED DOMINION”
This is amazing. I’ve long gotten tired of people dismissing the “Boom Tube” solely because they think it’s got a “silly name”. In these pages, this deep into the story, Jack Kirby managed to once more imbue it with a sense of almost mystical sense of WONDER. How many times does a thing like that really happen these days, even in a comic-book?
On the letters pages, amidst comments on NEW GODS #7 (“The Pact”), William H. Moses observes, “Then there was the dialogue, Jack. You made your characters real—Not just bland super-heroes mouthing wordless platitudes. You gave them somethng that only a few authors can give to their characters and that is a life of their own.” AMEN!!!!!
This month’s Manhunter reprint is “The Lady And The Tiger” from ADVENTURES COMICS #78 (Sep’42). The cover marks the only time Manhunter appeared side-by-side with The Sandman and Sandy!
I can’t end without making the observation that this issue’s new character, Forager, who wears a mask and carries a SHIELD strapped to his back, is colored in red, white and blue. Coincidence? In-joke? Some kind of subtle statement?
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“The heart of APOKALIPS lies beyond GREYBORDERS --- across the darkening road to LONG-SHADOW!--- through the clanking horrors of NIGHT-TIME! --- and rises white hot --- at the RAGING, HISSING INFERNOS OF THE PLANETARY FIRE-PITS! The raw and dirty edge from which great DARKSEID draws mammoth power! --- and feeds upon a mighty FEAR of --- HIMON!” Thus begins the 2nd issue-length flashback.
A panoramic 2-page spread shows us a hellish area that resembles an oil reinfery—except, apparently, people live here. This is “ARMAGETTO” (great play on words in that name). Arriving with an armed squad is “Wonderful Willik”, the “Protector” of the “Lowlies” who live there. He searches for “a worm among you—eating at your lives and spirits and meritorious work! ---HIMON!” The residents, who look very much like Nazi concentration camp inmates, eagerly say they’ll kill Himon themselves. But Willik has something else in mind. “Himon forgets that even ‘Lowlies’ would rather DIE for Darkseid--- than LIVE with him!” And so his sqaud, armed with flame-thorwers, TORCH the entire crowd!!!
With the impact of this insane horror still sinking in, Himon announces himself in the midst of the flames, and invites Willik to step forward to join him. Instead, he opens fire with a “Dyna-Blast”, which riccochets back at him via a force-field, even as Himon “phases out”.
The story continues in a “lowlie” hovel, where members of a family work under Himon’s supervision assembling Mother Boxes from stolen parts. “There are my heroes! ALL of you are my priceless puzzles within puzzles! Little pieces, that not even Darkseid can fit in his great design!” Looking out of place in the group are Scott Free, and Auralie, a pretty, silent girl who stares as a “Mind-Video” and is one of Barda’s Female Furies. “Auralie’s thoughts are BEAUTIFUL! She creates BEAUTY! Imagine—doing this on a world like APOKOLIPS!”
Barda breaks in with her squad to “rescue” Auralie, confronts Scott and warns him, “If you report Auralie—I’ll spill the works about YOU!” At that moment, the troops searching for Himon arrive, and everyone makes it out except for him and Kreetin, the one member of the group whose Mother Box refuses to work for him. Himon surrenders freely to have Kreetin set free, and he winds up running straight into Metron, who seems amused by it all. “My skin, sire, is dedicated to great DARKSEID and his PURPOSES! But, until he claims it, I prize my skin ABOVE false gratitude to Himon!” As Metron observes, “...in THAT harsh truth, you KEEP a pelt—and forever LOSE a Mother Box!” It’s clear there’s something about the mind-set of most Apokolips residents that prevent their actually contacting The Source.
Himon is publicly executed. SEVERAL times. Each time, they’re SURE he’s dead. Each time, somehow, he ESCAPES death, only to be pursued, caught and “killed” again. At one point, he meets with Metron on a “gutted slag-heap”. “Hail, METRON! Master of THEORIES!!” “Hail, METRON! Master of ELEMENTS!!” “The wonders I build are born in YOUR brain! The roads that I travel are opened by YOUR massive perceptions!” “ALAS! The heart and brain of the VISIONARY are eternally GROUNDED here! I FOSTERED Darkseid’s power! I must be here—at its END!” “Scott Free will play no part in that! HIS DESTINY IS ESCAPE FROM APOKOLIPS! Darkseid plans to KILL him for that and begin a new war! You must help Scott escape UNHURT!” “You showed Scott the way to me—and I can TEACH him to escape Apokolips! But I CAN’T give him the resolve! Only SCOTT can renounce what he has here! But a destructive revelation is NOT a father! ---and a slaughterhouse is NOT a home!---for one born on NEW GENESIS! “Scott will make his decision SOON! I shall see you then—and there! Farewell, Himon!” Wow.
Willik goes on the offense. He grabs Himon’s group and kills all of them, hanging them on a rotating rack like sides of beef. He does the same with Kreetin. Then he shows off his work to Scott and Barda. He goes too far when he shows them Auralie, who was fried with “High-Voltage Shock Boots”. As these atrocities are sinking in, Willik sits down to have his dinner. Enraged, both Scott & Barda are about to put the butcher out of his misery—when, abruptly, they go silent, turn, and leave with the waiter who brought Willik his meal. Sure enough, under the food cover is a large BOMB, which blows Willik to atoms. Himon has had HIS revenge.
“Why does Darkseid hate you, Himon? Why does he seek to stamp you out!” “I’m a dreamer! A visionary! A “THINK –TANK” who pioneered the calculating Mother-Box and linked it with The Source! I found the X-Element and pioneered the Boom-Tube! ---I DREAM! I ROAM the universe!! Darkseid wants to OWN it!!” “Can this truly be done?” “Perhaps! --- if Darkseid puts an end to all OTHER dreams but HIS! But there is STILL the RIDDLE of what powers the Mother Box! The SOURCE! It LIVES! It BURNS! When we reach out and touch it--- the core of us is MAGNIFIED! And we tower as TALL as Darkseid! “THEN DARKSEID FEARS US ALL! HE FEARS WHAT HE CAN’T CONTROL!” “Yes, Scott! Darkseid fears YOU, too! Because you, too, can dream of things BEYOND Darkseid!”
For a moment, Himon reminds me of The Doctor on DOCTOR WHO. At least once, the character has stated he wants to “see the universe, not rule it”. The dialogue here is amazing. It sums up both the totality of the conflict presented in the war, but also how truly sick and diseased a being Darkseid is. It is criminal beyond belief that this story never saw its way to its proper conclusion, with the DEATH of its main villain. If villains are allowed to go on... and on... AND ON... if they’re “accepted” as “necessary”, then the world dies a little bit more each day. There needs to be hope for the future—and how can there be, when the ones who are trying to control or destroy all we have are allowed to continue to exist?
Scott tells of a dream he’s had... of a woman, whose face he can’t see, who says, “You know, Izaya--- I’ve never heard you sing”. Without even knowing who they are, Scott's subconscious mind is giving him visions of his parents.
Abruptly the story jumps ahead to a point where Scott has been stripped of his rank and “mechanisms”, and finds himself running for his life. I guess that thing with Willik getting blown to atoms finally got around. As he flees from a horde of Para-Demons, he’s suddenly joined by Barda and her Female Furies. When asked why, she says, “Because I LIKE to help fools!—because I COULDN’T save Auralie! I DON’T know.” The pair race thru a “wrecked vehicle” park before making their way to the edge of the slum area. Suddenly, they’re pulled to the ground, as “Mass-Gravity Atoms” saturate the area. And then, in front of them, Himon, Metron, and a BOOM TUBE appear! “It’s open to YOU, Scott! An open door—to EARTH!” But, for the first time in the entire MISTER MIRACLE series-- Darkseid also appears!!!
“HE CAN TAKE IT! I’LL NOT STOP HIM NOW! IF COURAGE AND BRAVERY TOOK HIM HERE!--- SOME OF IT WAS MINE! STAY, WARRIOR! LET ME COMPLETE THE DESTRUCTION OF SCOTT FREE—SO YOU MAY LIVE WITH THE MAJESTY THAT IS THE POWER OF DARKSEID! The young fool goes ON! He struggles to rise! If he leaves Darkseid, he’ll STILL FIND DEATH!” Himon counters, “If he leaves Apokolips, he’ll find the universe!!!” Scott yells, “LET ME BE SCOTT FREE--- AND FIND MYSELF!” He leaps into the Boom-Tube without a sound.
“He’s gone, Darkseid! You’ll have your war with NEW GENESIS, now!! Thus we phase out as it BEGINS! And we shall be in Armagetto when it ENDS! FOR IT IS HERE WHERE YOU WILL FACE ORION!” “I’ll face Orion WHEREVER fate decrees! And in the end, I will “SHUT DOWN” THIS UNIVERSE TO ALL LIFE!! ---EXCEPT THE WILL OF DARKSEID!”
Wow. What an astonishing, astounding, awesome, mind-blowing, horrible, ghastly, unspeakable, vile, viscious, brutal, devastating episode. A very fitting bookend to “THE PACT”.
I’m struck by the finale, how many people often compare the Fourth World with STAR WARS. Darkseid’s line, “Let me complete the destruction of Scott Free”, as he actually INVITES him to join him, rather than continue to be a pawn or become an enemy, was mirrored uncannily by dialogue in the movie THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, when Darth Vader told Luke, “Let me complete your training! Join me, and together we can defeat the Emperor, and bring ORDER to the galaxy!” Yeah—as if that was a good thing, under a rage-filled, murder-crazed tyrant. It’s a shame better hands weren’t involved in writing the “flashbacks” in the STAR WARS universe, as, in the long run, I find Anakin Skywalker’s corruption and “turning to the dark side” (heh) a LOT less convincing in the finished films (Episodes 1-3) than I long imagined it from watching Episode 5.
Meanwhile, Darkseid comes across as a LOT scarier, specifically because he’s such a cool-headed, long-range planner and plotter. What WERE his real motivations for every awful, horrible, GHASTLY thing he ever did? Was it purely a matter of fear? Was it a broken home and upbringing, as evidenced by his mother forcing him to marry a woman he didn’t want, after having the woman he did want killed? Was it a matter of too many people “doing him wrong” to the point where he felt the only way to go on was to make sure NOBODY ever screwed with him again—by making sure HE was the only one able to screw with EVERYONE else? I have a feeling these questions may be universal, and eternal. After all, look at the life story of Saddam Hussein... or Adolph Hitler. I suppose that’s what makes a REAL hero stand out—bad things may happen to them, but they don’t let it make THEM bad in return. Powerful stuff.
Kirby & Royer are in top form again, although I must say some of the pages and panels are very inconsistent. I have no idea if this is deliberate, however. The cover and most of the book are clear and sharp. The extended scenes with the “Lowlies”, the art seems a bit rougher. The meeting between Himon & Metron is dark all over, and not just the shadow-lines. The faces on page 19, when Scott & Barda see the fate of Auralie, are very distorted and surreal, as is the close-up of Scott on page 26. Compared with the clarity of all the surrounding panels, it does seem Kirby was allowing his drawing to loosen up in order to channel emotional intensity in a way more realistic rendering never could.
This month, DC changed its format again, as noted on the covers: “ALL NEW STORIES / BEST IN COMICS / NOW ONLY 20c” I suspect Jack was caught by surprise by this. From here on, his stories were cut down to 24 pages (later, 22). But this is the only story in a 20-cent format that was 26 pages. No letters pages, of course.
In some ways, this issue serves as a grand finale to the first period of MISTER MIRACLE. We’ve met Scott, grown to know and care about him and his friends, learned of his background and his bizarre enemies, seen him face them HEAD-ON and “win” the right to his freedom (not quite the same way “Number Six” did in the last episode of THE PRISONER). And now, coming full-circle, we see the events that led up to his escape. How much time passed between the end of this story and MM #1? Or NEW GODS #1, for that matter? John Byrne would have us believe Scott was on Earth for more than 200 years before we met him in the first issue... but I don’t believe that for a second. Scott’s escape was planned by Darkseid to trigger the 2nd war. Perhaps time passes differently for “Eternals” than Earth-people, but it sure seems to me this story should lead DIRECTLY into the first issues of all 3 FW books.
After this, like THE FOREVER PEOPLE, Scott would begin a new phase of his life. Unlike those kids, he at least had another year-and-a-half before his adventures were cut short.
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In a run-down suburban area, a squad of police surround an abandoned building, intent on capturing a “Cop-Killer” who’s holed up in it. But they’re having a tough time of it, as a hail of gunfire from the building injures Officer Corrigan (a friend of Jimmy Olsen’s, and no relation to Jim Corrigan, alias The Spectre) and destroying several police cars. It’s a gripping scene right out of a tense crime drama, and almost out-of-place in a book like this—until Clark Kent switches to his Superman identity and crashes in, discovering it’s a number of automated machines that have been holding off the cops! Discovering a hidden tunnel under the house, similar to the one under Terry Dean’s Discoteque, Supes suspects Darkseid’s involvement. Rival reporter Percy Bratten decides to scoop Jimmy, and annoys Morgan Edge by calling him directly, instead of the copy editor. But Edge thinks, “Still, he DID tell me how much Superman now knows about MY organization!”
Before Jimmy can call in his story, he’s interrupted by Yango—head of the biker-gang The Outsiders—who, to Jimmy’s shock, has Morgan Edge with him. “An UNLIKELIER pair I’ve never seen.” The two explain to Jimmy that this is the REAL Morgan Edge, who was kidnapped, cloned at The Evil Factory, and held prisoner by his evil duplicate, who somehow could not bring himself to murder his own original. Unlike Superman earlier, Jimmy DOES believe the story, and the three of them set out to do something about it. “Engines roar, and the air screams about the three, as they take off, taut, anxious, ready to face the challenge that lies ahead, though it may claim their lives...” Oooh!
One of Edge’s stoolies spots the trio, informs Edge, who then calls “Killer”, leader of Inter-Gang’s own “Cycle-Freaks”. As Killer says it, “Scragging dudes is how we GET IT OFF!” “The hogs roar down the pavement in hot pursuit of our heroes... the Inter-Gang Cycle-Freaks are tense... a terrible sense of satisfaction sweeping over them as they move in for the kill!” Yango recognizes them, and says, “They’re all crack shots!” “Bullets scream, rockets roar, in a deafening and horrible din... as three determined men weave their cycles from side to side to avoid the lead projectiles of certain death...”
As the trio and their would-be murderers reach the G.B.S. TV studio, they interrupt a live talk-show where a guest, Professor Savin, is explaining why he thinks the invention of the DOOR-LATCH was “a great set-back for society.” “...because it fragmented society... allowed people to pretend to be one thing in public, then be something entirely different behind locked doors.” This is either a satire on the stupidity and banality of most talk shows, or a heavy-handed commentary on the current story itself... or both.
Trying to avoid getting shot, Jimmy & Yango run into a sound-proof recording studio, at which point Killer puts on a sound-effects LP and cranks the sound up to the max. (You know, I swear I saw something just like this on an episode of GET SMART.)
Percy, seeing Edge, goes to Edge’s office, and promptly tells him about this “other man” who looks like him. Edge calls up “Tombstone Greer”, a known bank robber, and orders him to kill the “other” Edge, and leave no trace of what the man looks like. Greer says he’ll use a “neutron gun”, which wil leave “nothing but a pile of CHARRED ASHES.” Obviously, this is more of Darkseid’s technology. As Edge puts it, “Funny... that the ultra-science of the planet APOKALIPS should wind up in the hands of a dumb hood. But there are times when one must combine brilliance and stupidity to get the job done.”
Flying overhead in one of the most awkward flying poses I’ve ever seen in any superhero comic, Supes hears trouble coming from the GBS building, and rescues Jimmy & Yango. Meanwhile, Darkseid appears in Edge’s office, confronts him with the fact that he KNOWS the real Edge is alive, and uses his Omega Effect to teleport the fake Edge to where the real Edge is. The two fight, brutally, until “Killer” arrives—and fries the “wrong” one to ashes! “How’s dat fer a good job... boss!? Yer the boss, ain’tcha?”
Superman arrives, and the neutron gun proves almost too much for him! Jimmy tries to intervene, and is almost killed for it, until Superman grabs Killer’s wrist—the result being, Killer is fried to ashes instead of Jimmy. Never thought I’d see Superman pull a move like that!
And so, Superman apologizes to Edge for not believing him earlier, after suggesting it’s best if the public not find out about “the mysterious forces that are still at large and behind all this.” Considering his other identity as a reporter, this seems somewhat ironic.
Steve Skeates does a pretty decent job with the “script” on this, presumably the plot was mostly the work of E. Nelson Bridwell. One has to wonder if the whole “Morgan Edge as villain” plot wasn’t altered so drastically (so that the baddie WASN’T the real Edge) because it might have been seen as too close a reflection of DC having been recently bought out by a Corporation, which at some point had genuine MOB ties? (I looked that up at Wikipedia last year—it makes for very interesting reading.)
While Werner Roth’s LOIS LANE art is pretty while bordering on bland, the art here by Mike Sekowsky & Bob Oskner is like looking at an entirely different world. It’s rough, it’s crude, it’s downright BRUTAL in spots... in effect, it’s virtually the complete antithesis of what “DC” art looked like for most of the 50’s & 60’s. I find it rather ironic (and perhaps a bit frustrating) that, when Jack Kirby took over JIMMY OLSEN, the editor decided to have the faces of Clark & Jimmy redrawn to keep them more in line with the “model”, but here, Sekowsky & Oksner were allowed to have their far more radical look for the characters published INTACT! My introduction to Sekowsky was JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, where his pencils were inked by Bernard Sachs (for the interiors) and Murphy Anderson (for the covers). Both were overpowering, in different ways, and neither looked anything even remotely like what I’m seeing here!
The cover art has sparked some controversy, as far as who actually did it. It looks, at first glance, like Gil Kane either pencilled it, or at least, did the design. But Kane was so busy at Marvel during this period, that seems unlikely. According to the notes at the GCD, it’s been suggested that it was either Kane, Sekowsky & Oksner, or Oksner solo but with a possible Joe Orlando design. We may never know for sure.
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On a lonely mountain road, a futuristic car with a “pollution-free engine” is hijacked in motion by “Operator Seven”, who works for a group called “The Scavengers”. Using “super-tools”, they steal—and deliver—absolutely anything, for a price. This seems to even include one of the famous pyramids of Egypt, wanted by someone for their “vast estate”. The absolute insane absurdity of this mirrors a similar organization, “Art Incorporated”, in THE AVENGERS 4th-season episode, “THE GIRL FROM AUNTIE”, where, at one point, we’re told someone has contracted them to steam The Eiffel Tower.
The “Director” has been keeping tabs on new reports involving super-beings, and has actually set up camera-surveillance on The Forever People. So when he sees them working on a bio-mechanical “Follower”—a robot body for Boston Brand to inhabit, which is constructed in the form of Deadman—he orders his men to steal it. He seems to have some personal reason for this—as we find, he’s got a HOOK for a right hand.
Elsewhere, Beautiful Dreamer has scored what she feels is an ideal job for her—as a fashion photographer’s model. Big Bear, meanwhile, has gotten a job as a limo driver, for an employer “partial to colorful characters”. Just as The Follower is about to be put to its intended use, it’s stolen. At his office, The Director is having his men check out the device, and, incredibly, gets the idea that it may have been built to be “possessed”. Just then, Boston Brand arrives and does just that. On seeing The Director’s hook, he thinks he may have found his murderer. A fierce battle between The Forever People and the stolen mechanical creations of a very strange “circus” ensues, during which The Director decides to destroy his base and flee, in case the cops are about to show up.
“The Scavengers ar BIG! Our depots are established WORLD-WIDE! --and this incident involving an ACTIVE “Deadman” must be given to our BOARD OF DIRECTORS! BOSTON BRAND MUST NEVER LEARN WHO SHOT HIM—AND WHY!!” What on Earth is the Director talking about? We never find out! All we hear is, “You’ve won a victory here—but it’s a SMALL one! You see, there are MORE Scavenger depots—and MORE men with hooks on their right hands!”
As our heroes depart, Deadman is determined to track down his killer, and learn the truth. Serifan gives him a blue cartridge, which will “permanently” link his spirit atoms with the Follower’s form. However, this new direction for Deadman was never followed up on by later writers. And The Forever People themselves turned out to be not long for the comic-book world. At the bottom of page 22, instead of a next issue ad, there’s the following...
“And now—A NEW KIRBY BLOCKBUSTER is on the way! He’ll be coming for you soon! Look for him! Look for—THE DEMON!”
The Kirby-Royer art this issue may be the sharperst, slickest. “cleanest” yet. These 2 guys were really kicking ass together here. (3-25-2012)
Registered: Aug 2003
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“The insect hordes of Mantis invade “EARTH... THE DOOMED DOMINION!” Orion & Forager tackle Mantis and his followers, while what appears to be endless numbers of them swarm over city buildings in the background. WOW! What a cover. It’s let down only by the extremely-intrusive “ALL NEW STORIES / BEST IN COMICS” banner which dominated DC covers around this time. DC, like Marvel, had a LOT of really bad design work going on at the time.
Arising from his “power pod”, Mantis, recharged, prepares to lead the bugs to war. “We go to EARTH! And there Mantis will make you the MASTERS!! There you shall RULE instead of run!!”
But on Earth, Forager is still on the run, once again, for stealing food. Twice people refer to him as a “kid”, perhaps due to his size. Between his youth and physical agility (not to mention the eye-holes on his mask which totally conceals his features), and being chased by the cops, he begins here to reminds me a bit of Spider-Man. This is enforced by the scene where he runs straight up the side of a building, and while on the rooftop, is pursued by a police helicopter with a net. It calls to mind scenes in a couple of 1967 SPIDER-MAN cartoons, “The Menace Of Mysterio”, and “Blueprint For Crime”—the latter of which featured Spidey swooped up by a helicopter using a net. I actually found myself hearing some of Ray Ellis’ music in the background as I read this sequence.
At Police Headquarters, P.I. Dave Lincoln and Dan Turpin’s Captain are interrupted by D.A. Hartman, who’s got an even bigger chip on his shoulder than Turpin did earlier. He’s angry about what’s been going on in his city, spoiling for a fight, and looking to blame Lincoln if he can’t pin it on anyone else. Orion & Lightray, on entering, do nothing to change his tune. “I can understand your confusion—but I’m counting on you JOINING us against a savage enemy!” “You’ll meet him soon! DARKSEID OF APOKALIPS is far from being shy! --and his allies serve him for ONE purpose—DOMINATION OF ALL LIVING THINGS!” “Is that so? Well, that’s YOUR story! When I run into this Darkseid, I’ll get HIS story! Until then—“ One wonders what his next words might have been. Clearly, nothing is getting through to this guy.
Pages 9-12 keep alternating between scenes, a quite common tool of writers to show two scenes going on at the same time, and a way of increasing the pace and urgency of both scenes. But because pages 11 & 12 don’t have narrative blocks at the top, I got the feeling they might have been moved around at the last moment. They might “feel” better if read 9, 11, 10, 12, though that’s just idle speculation on my part, as they do work just fine as they are.
Forager arrives, calls Orion by name and reveals “I AM ONE OF YOU!” “Orion, he speaks the truth!” “There’s NO time to tell my story!” Too bad—I’m kinda looking forward to it. The three immediately decide to join forces, while Hartmann orders them to stay where they are or he’ll have his men shoot. But an instant later, they’re gone, and Lincoln suspects Lightray is behind it.
The next 7 pages are almost non-stop battle, as Orion and Forager take on Mantis and his hordes, while Lightray, “the planner”, intrudes on a nearby research facility and requests use of a complex piece of “Kirby-tech” to generate a sound beam that winds up driving off the enemy. It’s awesome—it’s exciting—it’s thrilling—it’s spectacular!! But I can’t help but feel it ended way too fast. I suspect Kirby already knew the books were ending at this point, and realized he had to cram in as much as he could in the space remaining.
“HAIL, Lightray! I take it that your brain has proven EQUAL to our brawn!” “Forager salutes you as well!” “I thank you, friends! For I DID act—in my OWN way!” “At any rate, our battle is WON! One more thrust inspired by Darkseid has been BLUNTED!” “Earth lies troubled—but FREE to pursue its own destiny!” “But the Gods are EVER near—a PART of men’s lives!! GIANT reflections of the good and evil that men generate within themselves!” WHOA. That last bit is pretty powerful stuff. But can it be Orion is aware of something not previously revealed? Or is he merely being philosophical? I remember when it finally hit me, at one point, that the entire NEW GODS saga was not so much a “variation” on a previous fictional mythology (as seen in stories about HERCULES or THOR), but exactly what its title stated. That, literally, the characters are reflections of MODERN-DAY concepts and concerns, even as the ancient myths reflected the people and concerns of their own times.
You know, for a brief moment there, during the battle, Orion and Forager did remind me a bit of either Thor and Captain America—or perhaps, Thor and Spider-Man. But Lightray does not really seem to have an obvious “Marvel” counterpart. The closest thing that comes to my mind might be Apollo from the Roman pantheon. In Marvel terms, he might be what you’d get if you took certain elements from Mr. Frantastic (his intellect and planning) and combined them with the Silver Surfer (his bright color and speed)—only without the angst of either. I suppose he might be viewed as one of Kirby’s most “original” characters of the 70’s.
The art in this issue is a bit more “rough” and “rugged” than that in FP #10 this month, but that serves to better reflect the harshness of the story here. Clearly, Kirby was not afraid to let his art be “expressive” more than “representational”.
Once again, the last page features a plug for the new series. “THE DEMON! A NEW AND EXCITING CHARACTER FROM THE ANCIENT CULTURES—TO BATTLE THE KIND OF VILLAINS THAT SHAKE YOU UP!! Look out for him!! He’ll be at your news-dealer—soon! SOON!” (3-27-2012)
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In a rather startling image that might have stepped right out of an early-1940’s Universal horror movie, a savage-looking character in red and yellow, with a greenish-blue cape and white HORNS leaps at us on the cover. “1st DC Issue / Jack Kirby’s STARTLING New Epic-- “THE ORIGIN OF THE DEMON!” Mid-1972 was somewhere in the 2nd half of the big “horror boom” that exploded in movies in 1968 and comics 3 years later, when the Code was revised to allow such frightening stuff that had been BANNED since the mid-1950’s. Only the really awful company-wide cover design fiasco of the “ALL NEW STORIES / BEST IN COMICS” banner mars it.
On a splash page whose intricate border imitates an illuminated manuscript, we see an old wizard peering out thru a window of a castle in flames. Without even reading, we know he can be no one but Merlin—and this is the fall of Camelot. “It is said that there was a time on Earth when STRANGE creatures roamed all lands!! ---and that these beings became the CORE of myths and legends surrounding the fabled powers of bygone eras!! One such power was CAMELOT! ONE FIERY NIGHT IT MET ITS END! Great MERLIN was the last to meet the overwhelming hordes of the enchantress MORGAINE LE FEY! And his final act was to-- UNLEASH THE ONE WHO WAITS”.
Pages 2-3 show us a scene of epic battle before a castle impossibly huge. “Beset by OVERWHELMING forces steeped in the workings of the evil sorcery of MORGAINE LE FEY, the walls of Camelot quaked and shuddered and shot bright flames into the darkest of nights! It was a time when great powers clashed on Earth and beyond - ! THE FATES WERE BRINGING AN AGE TO A CLOSE!” Wow. What’s interesting is how, in a way, this rather parallels the opening pages of NEW GODS #1, a mere 18 months earlier.
“Again and again, the forces in play generated, charged, and struck at the once impregnable Camelot! The NEW names for them were not yet born—and men STILL called them MAGIC! For men still lived in the shadow of the OLD gods! --and FEARED them! --even as they did MORGAINE LE FEY! It was said that, like Merlin himself, she recruited beings that were NOT from this Earth at all!! –but from someplace OUTSIDE!” Someone other than me pointed out how this seems to be a reference to, or connection with, the NEW GODS series. But that can’t be... can it?
Merlin calls his servant, Etrigan, to him, and informs him that both he and Camelot will vanish soon, and Etrigan will not be summoned again until long after Morgaine’s beauty has faded and died, never to be renewed... UNLESS she finds him and “this ancient book”. A moment later, with a sweep of his hand, Merlin destroys what’s left of Camelot, while Etrigan changes form into that of a human... who wanders off, with no memory.
After such a prologue, the story jumps ahead to the modern day, where we meet Jason Blood, a well-off man whose “occupation” is a demonologist. I guess that makes him like a supernatural version of Bruce Wayne, who I believe started out as a “criminologist’, which his friend Commissioner Gordon considered an odd hobby for someone who inherited a fortune. Jason has tracked down Mr. Warly, a recluse who published a book on Wizardry, because his dreams are haunted by a demon, and he needs an authority—“a true sorcerer”—to help him sort out the answers he seeks. Whereupon Warly uses a poltergeist, which brings a suit of armor to life, to try and kill Jason. “Why this sudden attempt on my life?” “SORCERERS ANSWER TO NO ONE! THEY’RE A PURPOSE AND POWER UNTO THEMSELVES!” Boy, does this make me think of the various wizards populating the future Earth of THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN!
Turns out, Warly is in league with Le Fey, for whom time looks about ready to run out. When Jason awakens, he finds Warly’s mansion in ruins—which it has been for several years. Unusual is the local police officer who explains this to Jason, in a patient, understanding fashion. None of the usual bossy, rude, obnoxious cop thing here!
Following a brief interlude in Central Europe where a stone statue comes to life, we switch to Gotham City, where we meet Jason’s friends Randu (a U.N. delegate), Harry Mathews (an advertising man), and a new acquaintance, Glenda, who finds Jason and his home—filled with priceless old paintings and artifcact, fascinating. She notices that several portraits of Jason’s ancestors all look exactly like him. The scene reminds me quite a bit of Connor MacLeod’s home in the movie HIGHLANDER (14 years later!), and also brings to mind the portrait of Barnabas Collins in DARK SHADOWS.
Then the walking statue—who he recognizes as one of “the unliving”-- shows up, with a scroll relating to Etrigan. Observed by Warly and Le Fey, he travels to Castle Branek, where the two are attacked by minions of Le Fey. An underground chamber (only briefly glimpsed earlier in the story) opens again, and Jason descends into it (in a scene almost repeated verbatim in the 1st issue of THE ETERNALS several years later). There, in Merlin’s tomb, atop a huge sarcophagus surrounded by stone gargoyles, he reads the full inscription... “CHANGE1 CHANGE, O’ form of man! Release the might from fleshy mire! Boil the blood in heart and fire! Gone! Gone! --- the form of man --! RISE, THE DEMON ETRIGAN!” And even as he reads, he body is once more transformed, back into that of Etrigan. At that moment, Le Fey and her forces enter, and he attacks!
Some of this is rather impressive. But other parts, less so. I have to say, I’ve now read the comic 3 times, and it doesn’t quite “flow” as naturally as many of Jack Kirby’s other projects, especially first issues. There’s something choppy, segmented about this, almost as if it were assembled from barely-connected pieces and ideas. I’m going to assume it would all make much more sense once you read the next issue. I’m afraid that’s my big problem here. This is the ONLY issue of THE DEMON I’ve ever managed to get ahold of. While I collected most of the Fourth World books in the early 80’s (averaging about $2.00 apiece), I got this much later (sometime in the 90’s I think) and for $12.00. I’d love to get more... but it’s not really an option for me at the moment.
I am left with some questions. Is Etrigan the main character’s true form—or is Jason Blood? Is Jason merely a disguise, or is he the host for a separate being? Would The Demon then be more like Orion—or Johnny Blaze?
As with the Fourth World, with MISTER MIRACLE and NEW GODS, my first esposure to Kirby’s DEMON was from later installments done by others. Specifically, his appearance in BATMAN FAMILY #17 (May’78) by Bob Rosakis & Michael Golden, which guest-starred Man-Bat. (“Supernatural Horror Team-Up”, anyone?) This was followed 10 months later by The Demon back-up in DETECTIVE COMICS #482-485 (Mar-Sep’79), by Len Wein, with art by Golden & Dick Giordano (for one episode), then, Steve Ditko (the remaining 3 installments). I kinda dug the downright dark & spooky work of Golden, but the Ditko episodes didn’t do much for me. Actually, Ditko was doing quite a lot of work for DC at the time, the best of which was probably the Starman series in ADVENTURE COMICS, done with Paul Levitz & Romeo Tanghal.
I’ve run across quite a few different later interpretations of THE DEMON, but frankly, none of them grabbed me as much as the 2 episodes I saw with Michael Golden, or, this one by Jack Kirby. Somewhere along the line (I’m nort sure when or by who), Etrigan picked up the MONSTROUSLY-annoying habit of speaking entirely in rhyme. Apparently, he never did this when Kirby was writing. Whoever tacked that on to him has a lot to answer for.
The Kirby-Royer art in this issue seems quite different from what’s appearing in the 3 Fourth World books at the same time. Less “slick”, more “impressionistic”. I think this may be one more thing that Kirby is never given credit for—that his art is often flexible, changing to suit the mood of a story, or even the mood of a scene.
Hopefully one of these days I’ll get ahold of the rest of this series. Until then, I’m looking forward to to at least re-reading those 2 Mike Golden episodes before too long. I always remember the line from one of the cops in the “team-up”, who said, “These two are the UGLIEST suckers I’ve ever seen!” (4-2-2012)
Registered: Aug 2003
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“From the VIOLENT world of APOKALIPS, a small band of refugees finds its way to Earth!” Thus, Scott, Barda, and 4 of the Female Furies, Lashina, Stompa, Bernadeth and Mad Harriet, emerge from a Boom Tube, but immediately realize they’re not where they planned to land. As Bernadeth puts it, “We’re on EARTH, all right! We just happened to pick its DREARIEST landscape!” But before they have time to think, they’re attacked by an automated gun turret. Scott is nearly killed before putting it out of action, but even as he does, a squad of armed men emerge from an underground base, and he’s accused of being an “All-Nation” agent.
Taking out the thugs, he leaps into the opening, and finds himself descending via a tiny, cramped elevator, until he reached the bottom, and confronts “The Head” of the “World Protective League”—literally, a disembodied HEAD in a glass case on wheels, in charge of a terrorist organization, who plan to launch an “OPB” (Orbital Plague Bomb) into space. As The Head puts it, “Terror can pay great dividends for its USERS! Actually, our “World Protective League” DOES offer the world protection---!” “Yes—from “THE WORLD PROTECTIVE LEAGUE!” This is BLACKMAIL on an undreamed-of scale!”
Scott is knocked out, just as his companions awaken in a glass cell. They escape, then free Mike McCracken, an agent of the “All-Nations Agency”, whose flirting behavior toward women they find rather annoying. That’s put aside when more guards attack, and they quickly join forces to stop them.
Meanwhile, The Head has Scott shackled and encased in an airtight cylinder, which is quickly filled with poison gas. “If you aimed to kill him, “Head”--- why didn’t you just order us to shoot him?” “Because of interesting thought images I found while PROBING his mind!” Sure enough, Scott escapes alive and intact, confirming The Head’s suspicion that he was an escape artist—though Scott still tries to convince him he’s a free agent. Following another brief stuggle, Scott appears knocked out again, and The Head seals him into the OPB missile, launching it. But even as it takes off, The Head goes into a panic, as he’s inexplicably drawn to its hull, and pulled into space with it, where it—and he—explode.
Sure enough, Scott escaped the rocket, reversed his anti-grav device to capture The Head, and snuck into the control room to send the weapon and its master to their doom. Mike sets off a time-delayed self-destruct device, while Scott convinces one of the scientists (who wanted to study Barda’s Mega-Rod) to have everyone clear out while they can. Four hours later, the base is atomized in a nuclear blast. Aboard the escape plane, one of the men says, “I’m going “STRAIGHT” after this! I’m NOT going to waste my second chance!”
Back home, a lonely Oberon is interrupted by the pleasant arrival of Ted Brown, son of Thaddeus (the original Mister Miracle), who’s only just heard of the death of his father. A public relations man, Ted regrets never having the chance to manage his father’s act. Just as Oberon is beginning to tell him about Scott & Barda, they hear a noise from ther attic. On reaching it, a joyous reunion takes place. Barda tells him, “You’re a BETTER sight than a multiple-barrelled, cosmic-controlled planetary howitzer!” Whereupon Oberon tells Ted, “We’re in BUSINESS!!”
This is one of my FAVORITE issues of this series. I know this runs counter to what many feel, but to me, it was wonderful to finally put “the past” behind Scott & Barda (even if, with the Female Furies in toe, they’ll never be able to forget where they came from). And unlike Marvel’s CAPTAIN MARVEL, which totally floundered on ever possible level once IT concluded its 18-part “origin” story, here, we see a clear path toward the book going in a brand-new direction, once which would allow it to live up to its obvious initial premise.
It’s fun to see Jack playing with such a blatent variation on the Nick Fury / SHIELD / Hydra scenario, especially with regards to the “Plague Bomb” (the “McGuffin” used by Jim Steranko in STRANGE TALES #154-158). The Head seems a less monstrous (but in some ways, just as disturbing) version of Modok. More than anything, Mike McCracken reminds of of Dean Martin’s version of MATT HELM, between his looks and his attitude toward women, who he refers to as “chicks”. I’d love to see more adventures with this character. Did he ever reappear anywhere?
In stark contrast to THE DEMON #1 (which makes perfect sense in light of the subject matter), this may be the SLICKEST Kirby-Royer art EVER! In places I was reminded of Kirby-Sinnott, except I’m sure Royer was honing closer to Kirby’s pencils than Sinnott tended to. (But are we SURE Joe didn’t fill in inking page 4??? Maybe he had a day off somewhere.) I mean, this stuff is TIGHT and CLEAN and STUNNING to look at!
This may be one of the most over-looked, under-rated issues in the entire Fourth World saga. I LOVE it! (4-3-2012)
Registered: Aug 2003
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“Of all the creatures that people the universe, none is so feared as the RELENTLESS personality who must FULFILL what he was created for—at all costs! Give such a being the power of a god and you’re confronted with a gravity of danger unimaginable on the human scale! From the viewpoint of his prey, there is none so FEARSOME! You shall learn why from the FOREVER PEOPLE”
“DEVILANCE THE PURSUER-- a product of what can be accomplished by the TRACKING principle when its brought to its ultimate efficiency! Every trait of the professional bounty-hunter, plus the crushing will of Darkseid, himself, has been bred into this denizen of Apokalips! He must PURSUE, TRAP, and DESTROY his prey—or DIE-!!”
Isn’t that sheer poetry? One thing nobody can argue—and that’s that NOBODY else in comics put words together like Jack Kirby.
Inexplicably, Darkseid sends Devilance, a combination bounty-hunter/hitman, to capture The Forever People. You’d think he’d have either given up, or at least moved on to more urgent matters or more promising prospects. After a brief scuffle attracts the cops, who nag Trixie Magruder about not screening her tenants better, Devilance flies off, and the kids vanish. An around-the-world game of cat-and-mouse ensues, going from an abandoned mine to Easter Island, during which the denizen of Darkseid decides his master will have to do with dead bodies. Nice guy.
Meanwhile, for the first time in quite a few issues, we find The Infinity Man, trapped on a distant paradise-like planet named Adon, and unable to escape due to some “barrier” that’s been set up. After being severely weakened by an escape attempt, he rests and recovers, ready to try again. It’s about that time the kids’ Mother Box makes contact and prepares for the “contact ritual”. Infinity Man appears, taking Devilance completely by surprise (he has NO idea who he’s facing, or where he quarry have vanished to!). After a short, but fierce battle, in which Infinity Man tries to take the villain’s weapon away from him, a tremendous outpouring of energy destroys the entire island and both combatants.
Watching from afar, Darkseid comments to Desaad, “Thus, blind destiny writes an ending well beyond the wisdom of Darkseid himself!” Desaad notes, “With The Infinity Man gone, they can NEVER return! In the end, great Darkseid, destiny speaks for us all!” On Adon, the Forever People turn their backs on Earth and prepare to face their future, on a planet of “endless wonders”.
Faced with the abrupt cancellation of the series, Jack clearly decided to go out with a quite literal “bang”. With no room for any kind of detailed explanantion for Darkseid’s sudden re-interest in our “hippy kid gang”, it was non-stop action right to the explosive finale. Along the way, I sense some references to earlier characters and scenarios sneaking their way in. Devilance’ helmet and costume—with bare arms and legs—makes him look like “Galactus Jr.”, while his spear, which does double-duty as weapon and mode of transport—brings to mind The Silver Surfer. (Someone should have asked why Mike Royer failed to include the vestigal “helmet wings”, which were in some panels, but not others. Unless Jack had some in-story reason for their disappearing act in some panels, Royer should have known what to “fix” and where.) Meanwhile, Infinity Man’s being “trapped’ on a planet by a mysterious “barrier” also brings The Surfer to mind. It’s quite common for creative types to reuse elements from their own work, I just can’t help but wonder if Jack was trying to “say” something here by doing so.
It’s unfortunate that the book got canned when it did. The kids’ situation with Trixie, and the outlook of new adventures on Earth NOT related to the war were fascinating, and only just beginning. Also, we never did get to find out who the hell Infinity Man was, anything about his origin or reason for existing. And it looks like now, we never would. At least Jack left the door open by showing the kids were still alive, but why leave them trapped on some mysterious planet (in another dimension or our own? Not really sure after reading this) instead of just shipping them back home to New Genesis?
Jack may describe THE DEMON as “the greatest new comic magazine for the money!” –but I’d rather be reading about optimistic New Agers than a demon from Hell anyday. (CURSE you, Carmine!) (5-30-2012)
Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by profh0011: Somewhere along the line (I’m nort sure when or by who), Etrigan picked up the MONSTROUSLY-annoying habit of speaking entirely in rhyme. Apparently, he never did this when Kirby was writing. Whoever tacked that on to him has a lot to answer for.
That was some unknown by the name of Alan Moore.
Seriously, if you haven't read the first trade of "Saga of the Swamp Thing", you really, really need to get out there, rob a bank and buy it. You won't be disappointed in either the Demon parts, or the story altogether.
Also, All of the Kirby Demon is available in Hardcover Omnibus format. I got mine reasonably cheap on Amazon. Highly recommended.
From: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | Registered: Sep 2004
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