Who benefits?
That always seems to be the question, doesn't it? The Batman has made a career of investigating the world's most outlandish criminals. He understands them as few others ever could. And yet...he exists in a world where the outlandish can't hope to compete with the impossible. Yet the impossible seems to happen every day. How does a mere man keep up with the developments of such a world? Well, for starters, with a little help. With allies. The Batman has many allies. And he keeps tabs on them all...
The Justice League in all its glory reunites to battle the Crime Syndicate, comprised of evil counterparts to each of its members.
Orion of the New Gods questions his origins as he defines the last great era of the Fourth World.
Batman's greatest foe becomes Superman's worst nightmare: the Joker takes control of the whole world...
As if that's not bad enough, Lex Luthor is elected president of the United States!
Hal Jordan begins his work as the Spectre. One of his first acts is resurrecting his best friend, Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow.
Imperiax declares war on Earth, and it's once again Superman who leads the way against the apocalypse.
The Joker prepares his final punchline when he discovers he has a terminal brain tumor.
Batman dreams of the future, and envisions a world in the grip of Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
In the real world, he finds his alter ego, Bruce Wayne, framed for murder.
Can it get worse? He becomes hounded by the mysterious Hush. Is Tommy Elliott somehow responsible for all his troubles this decade?
He dreams of a Superman raised in the Soviet Union.
The Batman's partner, Tim Drake, Robin, leads a team of new Teen Titans.
He dreams of the Justice League's encounters with a team called the Avengers, a kind of memory he doesn't remember having.
He begins working alongside Superman on a regular basis.
And again...who benefits? He finds himself devastated by the consequences of Sue Dibney's murder. Dibney was the wife of Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man, Batman's only investigative rival. Her death exploded the superhero community, revealing a time when the Justice League...Did it really happen? Did they dare alter the Batman's memories? How would that even be possible? The most disciplined mind...He realizes for the first time, the world really is bigger than the Batman...
He never trusted Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern. He seemed vindicated when Jordan went rogue and tried to remake the universe in his image. Unlike the others, he never forgave him, even when Jordan sacrificed himself to save the planet, even when he assumed the awful mantle of the Spectre. So what, then, when Jordan reclaims the power ring of Green Lantern?
And can he ever forgive himself for Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle's murder?
Seven heroes converge in an intricate tapestry against the Sheeda horde. Batman is one of the few to comprehend what happens.
He remembers what it was like to accept his first partner, Dick Grayson, Robin, into his life.
Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman realize how far they've let things spiral out of control, but not before chaos truly erupts at the behest of Superboy-Prime, who has been driven mad observing a world he believes has corrupted the very idea of the superhero.
Superman discovers a terminal illness, and unleashes his full potential for what he believes to be his final days.
In the aftermath of crisis, a world without its biggest heroes struggles onward. Ralph Dibney wrestles his demons. John Henry Irons, Steel, realizes Lex Luthor has tricked John's niece into believing his lies. Animal Man, Adam Strange, and Starfire make a heroic trek back from the edge of the galaxy. Black Adam attempts to fill the power void. Booster Gold loses it. And Renee Montoya makes a curious new friend, a man who calls himself Charlie. Who asks her the most important question she'll ever have: How will she ever live with herself again after the brutal murder of her partner, Crispus Allen? It's a whirlwind, epic year, and where is Batman during all of it? Convincing himself that he's freed himself of his crusade.
And yet...then he meets his son, Damian Wayne. And everything changes.
At least his allies in the Justice League bring themselves back together.
Freddy Freeman attempts to prove he has what it takes to claim the mantle of Captain Marvel.
The Justice Society takes it upon itself to train the next generation of heroes.
The Amazons are tricked into declaring war on America.
Regardless of the Batman's feelings toward Hal Jordan, he must feel the urgency of Sinestro's renewed war against the Green Lantern Corps, this time leading an army of yellow ring bearers.
And lo! There came a time when the New Gods died...
Hush? Or is it Dr. Hurt? Hurt didn't just torment the Batman, he destroyed the Dark Knight's mind...leaving him ripe for the terror of Darkseid's Omega Beam...
Superman's world comes crashing down in the wake of Brainiac's latest defeat. There's a new world of Kryptonians suddenly just around the corner, and Jonathan Kent is dead.
But Barry Allen, the Flash, is finally back!
Lost in time, Bruce Wayne's once and future successor, Dick Grayson, accepts the mantle of Batman, with Damian Wayne at his side as a volatile new Robin.
The dead rise, but then hope returns in the form long lost heroes returning. But at what price?
And who benefits?
Adapted from DC YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
JLA: EARTH 2
ORION #1
SUPERMAN #160, 171
SUPERMAN: LEX 2000 #1
THE SPECTRE #1
GREEN ARROW #1
JOKER: LAST LAUGH #1
THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #1
BATMAN: THE 10 CENT ADVENTURE
BATMAN #608, 655, 676
SUPERMAN: RED SON #1
TEEN TITANS #1
JLA/AVENGERS #1
SUPERMAN/BATMAN #1
IDENTITY CRISIS #1
GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #1
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS
SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY #0
ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #1
INFINITE CRISIS #1
ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1
52 #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1
THE TRIALS OF SHAZAM! #1
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
AMAZONS ATTACK! #1
GREEN LANTERN: SINESTRO CORPS SPECIAL #1
THE DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #1
FINAL CRISIS #1
ACTION COMICS #870
THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1
BATMAN AND ROBIN #1
BLACKEST NIGHT #1
BRIGHTEST DAY #1
(2000-2010)
Showing posts with label DC Decades Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Decades Project. Show all posts
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
DC90
Waverider referred to it as an event horizon, a massive convergence of crises. But it's a little difficult to explain without examples, so that's exactly what I'm going to give you...
The unthinkable happened for the first time when Lois Lane discovered that Clark Kent was Superman. In some circles this was always the worst kept secret in the universe, but Superman had managed to keep his secret identity intact, even from a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who'd been obsessed with him for years, until he had become engaged to Lane and felt continuing the ruse was no longer morally justifiable. It was a testament to Superman's character all the way around, just one of his many defining moments that decade. If only it hadn't been followed by a bigger one so soon...
Before that could happen, I myself was drawn into these events in the near future, when the hero once known as Hawk became the villainous Monarch and sought to protect his identity, except he couldn't account for a man being sent into the past to stop him, a man who became Waverider. A man named Matthew Ryder. Me.
The Greek gods went to war, sending Wonder Woman into a truly epic struggle.
Superman's next crisis involved Brainiac, against whom he assembled an army of allies.
John Stewart assumed stewardship of Oa's Mosaic, attempting to maintain peace among a legion of alien species.
Doomsday came for Superman, at last. His epic battle against an unconquerable monster led to their mutual destruction, an unspeakable outcome for a world suddenly without its greatest protector.
Similarly, the brilliant, drug-enhanced Bane targeted Batman, breaking his back and taking control of Gotham City.
In both instances, these icons were replaced, for a time, by pretenders to the throne.
Alien parasites came to Earth and transformed unsuspecting citizens into a new breed of superhero.
Driven mad by the utter destruction of Coast City, Hal Jordan declared war on the Green Lantern Corps so that he might obtain enough power to bring his beloved city back.
Bart Allen arrived from the future to create a new kind of Kid Flash, the single synapse Impulse, pushing the concept of speed, and the Speed Force itself, to new heights.
Jordan's mad quest converged with Monarch's, who elevated himself to the villain called Extant, threatening all of reality, until it collapsed around them with a cosmic rebirth. In the aftermath, David Knight took up the Starman legacy, and redefined it, as well as the concept of the superhero.
Diana lost the role of Wonder Woman to Artemis but continued her fight for justice in Man's World.
Green Arrow died in a fiery explosion.
Neron struck literal deals with the devil across the villain landscape, significantly augmenting their threat level, notably revitalizing Lex Luthor so that he could plague Superman anew.
Heroes across two realities collided.
I witnessed a chilling vision of a future in which Superman walked away from his never-ending crusade.
In the present, he had the extraordinary development of working alongside Lex Luthor to combat the extinction of the sun, which only Hal Jordan's redemptive sacrifice ultimately prevented.
Then, of course, he finally married Lois Lane.
Batman tackled one of his greatest cases ever, seeking the identity of the Holiday Killer.
Superman and Batman led a spectacular revival of the Justice League.
And then Superman became radically altered, transforming into an energy being complete with a bold new look.
The Godwave made its way through the galaxy, wreaking havoc on everyone's powers.
Iris Allen wrote her late husband Barry Allen's life story. This is significant, as he had been known as the Flash.
A cataclysmic earthquake hit Gotham.
The heroes of the 853rd century united with the modern day to battle the Tyrant Sun.
The Justice Society made a triumphant return.
Hal Jordan completed his redemption by becoming the new host of the Spectre.
Waverider saw all of this, and I suppose I ought to believe him. His future is mine, his past mine. He has seen wonders. What effect does this have on a man? I suppose I'll find out...
Adapted from DC YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
ACTION COMICS #662
ARMAGEDDON 2001 #1
WAR OF THE GODS #1
SUPERMAN #66, 75, 123
GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC #1
BATMAN #492, 500
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #500
BLOODBATH #1
GREEN LANTERN #48
THE FLASH #92
ZERO HOUR #4
STARMAN #0
WONDER WOMAN #93
GREEN ARROW #101
UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED #1
DC VERSUS MARVEL #1
KINGDOM COME #1
THE FINAL NIGHT #1
SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN #1
JLA #1
GENESIS #1
THE LIFE STORY OF THE FLASH
BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #73
DC ONE MILLION #1
JSA #1
DAY OF JUDGMENT #1
The unthinkable happened for the first time when Lois Lane discovered that Clark Kent was Superman. In some circles this was always the worst kept secret in the universe, but Superman had managed to keep his secret identity intact, even from a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who'd been obsessed with him for years, until he had become engaged to Lane and felt continuing the ruse was no longer morally justifiable. It was a testament to Superman's character all the way around, just one of his many defining moments that decade. If only it hadn't been followed by a bigger one so soon...
Before that could happen, I myself was drawn into these events in the near future, when the hero once known as Hawk became the villainous Monarch and sought to protect his identity, except he couldn't account for a man being sent into the past to stop him, a man who became Waverider. A man named Matthew Ryder. Me.
The Greek gods went to war, sending Wonder Woman into a truly epic struggle.
Superman's next crisis involved Brainiac, against whom he assembled an army of allies.
John Stewart assumed stewardship of Oa's Mosaic, attempting to maintain peace among a legion of alien species.
Doomsday came for Superman, at last. His epic battle against an unconquerable monster led to their mutual destruction, an unspeakable outcome for a world suddenly without its greatest protector.
Similarly, the brilliant, drug-enhanced Bane targeted Batman, breaking his back and taking control of Gotham City.
In both instances, these icons were replaced, for a time, by pretenders to the throne.
Alien parasites came to Earth and transformed unsuspecting citizens into a new breed of superhero.
Driven mad by the utter destruction of Coast City, Hal Jordan declared war on the Green Lantern Corps so that he might obtain enough power to bring his beloved city back.
Bart Allen arrived from the future to create a new kind of Kid Flash, the single synapse Impulse, pushing the concept of speed, and the Speed Force itself, to new heights.
Jordan's mad quest converged with Monarch's, who elevated himself to the villain called Extant, threatening all of reality, until it collapsed around them with a cosmic rebirth. In the aftermath, David Knight took up the Starman legacy, and redefined it, as well as the concept of the superhero.
Diana lost the role of Wonder Woman to Artemis but continued her fight for justice in Man's World.
Green Arrow died in a fiery explosion.
Neron struck literal deals with the devil across the villain landscape, significantly augmenting their threat level, notably revitalizing Lex Luthor so that he could plague Superman anew.
Heroes across two realities collided.
I witnessed a chilling vision of a future in which Superman walked away from his never-ending crusade.
In the present, he had the extraordinary development of working alongside Lex Luthor to combat the extinction of the sun, which only Hal Jordan's redemptive sacrifice ultimately prevented.
Then, of course, he finally married Lois Lane.
Batman tackled one of his greatest cases ever, seeking the identity of the Holiday Killer.
Superman and Batman led a spectacular revival of the Justice League.
And then Superman became radically altered, transforming into an energy being complete with a bold new look.
The Godwave made its way through the galaxy, wreaking havoc on everyone's powers.
Iris Allen wrote her late husband Barry Allen's life story. This is significant, as he had been known as the Flash.
A cataclysmic earthquake hit Gotham.
The heroes of the 853rd century united with the modern day to battle the Tyrant Sun.
The Justice Society made a triumphant return.
Hal Jordan completed his redemption by becoming the new host of the Spectre.
Waverider saw all of this, and I suppose I ought to believe him. His future is mine, his past mine. He has seen wonders. What effect does this have on a man? I suppose I'll find out...
Adapted from DC YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
ACTION COMICS #662
ARMAGEDDON 2001 #1
WAR OF THE GODS #1
SUPERMAN #66, 75, 123
GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC #1
BATMAN #492, 500
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #500
BLOODBATH #1
GREEN LANTERN #48
THE FLASH #92
ZERO HOUR #4
STARMAN #0
WONDER WOMAN #93
GREEN ARROW #101
UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED #1
DC VERSUS MARVEL #1
KINGDOM COME #1
THE FINAL NIGHT #1
SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN #1
JLA #1
GENESIS #1
THE LIFE STORY OF THE FLASH
BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #73
DC ONE MILLION #1
JSA #1
DAY OF JUDGMENT #1
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
DC80
The Psycho-Pirate knows.
Here's the thing, as anyone who understands Green Lantern and the myriad color spectrum around him knows, emotions control everything. He who controls emotions, controls...everything. Except for himself. That's always been Psycho-Pirate's biggest failing; here is a villain who isn't defeated so much as defeats himself. That is, as I'm sure you'll agree, that most villains suffer from extreme overconfidence that eventually collapses in on itself, but the Psycho-Pirate is different. He channels emotions thanks to the Medusa Mask. Anyone foolish enough to look directly at him immediately falls to the power of the mask, and his mastery of emotion. Just not his own. This is called irony. Being aware so keenly of the power of emotion, he becomes overwhelmed by it, the totality of it. It makes him somewhat cosmically aware. He comprehends things on a scale few others can imagine, but he becomes paralyzed by this knowledge. He doesn't know how to overcome this.
He certainly doesn't know what to do about the multiverse. Because while others may be aware that it exists, only Psycho-Pirate knows how they interact. Or rather, how they once collapsed. During a crisis...
All of time creeps into this vision, naturally. The Psycho-Pirate knows that Superman, when he was a boy, once worked alongside the Legion of Super-Heroes, in the 30th Century, but that this alliance came to a permanent end that sent them in disparate directions, perhaps to the detriment of them both, if they ever understood what the Psycho-Pirate could see...
The Psycho-Pirate saw the story of Batman unfold, from the very beginning to recruiting allies in Robin and Batgirl.
The daughter of the Batman from Earth-2, the Huntress, stepped across the multiverse.
Mongul arrived and pitted Superman against Martian Manhunter.
A team of new Teen Titans gathered, and Deathstroke the Terminator took on a contract against them.
Primus took charge of the Omega Men and launched a crusade in the Vegan system.
Superman and Batman waged separate battle against the amazing Spider-Man and a rampaging Hulk, respectively.
On Earth-2, the Justice Society expanded into the All-Star Squadron.
Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew emerged in the multiverse.
The Legion battled the greatest darkness that ever lived in the final campaign of Apokolips.
There occurred a crisis on Earth-Prime.
The Teen Titans clashed with the X-Men.
King Arthur returned in the far future.
Ambush Bug cracked reality in his massive debut.
Jason Todd debuted as the new Robin. His origin was much the same as Dick Grayson's. Or was it?
Lobo became the most infamous last of a kind.
A ronin in the distant past may have been conjured by a madman in the future.
The Batman of Earth-1 met the Batman of Earth-2.
The trial of the Flash became inevitable after he murdered his arch-nemesis, the Reverse-Flash.
Swamp Thing learned that he wasn't actually Alec Holland, but rather an earth avatar merely convinced that it was Holland.
Deathstroke and Terra took out the Judas Contract on the Teen Titans.
The legacy of Superman was examined at various points in the future.
The Justice Society on Earth-2 disbands.
And at last...the Crisis. The Psycho-Pirate watches in horror as the Anti-Monitor declares war on the multiverse, becoming an unwitting pawn. Eventually, the multiverse collapses...and all of reality resets, with only the Psycho-Pirate knowing that any of it ever happened...Most tragic of all is the sacrifice of Barry Allen, the Flash, after having finally cleared his name of murder, too...
And what of the Superboy of Earth-Prime? What indeed?
Booster Gold arrived from the future in order to become a superhero of the modern day.
An aging Batman confronted the twilight of his career, having descended into nightmare.
A comedian was murdered.
Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
The Psycho-Pirate witnessed Superman born anew.
Darkseid launched a campaign against Earth in the present.
The Justice Society retired into a never-ending battle.
The Psycho-Pirate saw Batman's origin recounted once more, and then Wonder Woman's.
The Question emerged once more.
The Justice League found a sense of humor.
Jason Todd's origin changed.
The son of Batman was conceived.
No one could stop the Manhunters.
The Joker took his madness too far, arbitrarily paralyzing Batgirl.
Buddy Baker, Animal Man, began a journey toward the meta.
A man in a Guy Fawkes mask battled the forces of anarchy in the near-future.
Darkseid sought the Anti-Life Equation.
The Psycho-Pirate sees fans vote for the death of Jason Todd.
A cosmic invasion occurred.
Dream woke up.
The Doom Patrol crawled from the wreckage.\
The Huntress reincarnated on Earth-1.
Batman explored a serious house on a serious earth.
The Legion reached maturity.
Tim Drake became the third Robin.
The Psycho-Pirate observes the origin of Green Lantern. And he wonders...
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #259, 290
THE UNTOLD LEGEND OF THE BATMAN #1
WONDER WOMAN #271
DC COMICS PRESENTS #27, 52, 87
THE NEW TEEN TITANS #1, 2, 16, 42
GREEN LANTERN #141
MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #28
DC SPECIAL SERIES #27
ALL-STAR SQUADRON #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #207
MARVEL AND DC PRESENT: THE UNCANNY X-MEN AND THE NEW TEEN TITANS #1
CAMELOT 3000 #1
BATMAN #357, 404, 408, 426, 442
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #200
OMEGA MEN #3
RONIN #1
THE FLASH #324
THE SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #21
SUPERMAN #400, 423
AMERICA VS. THE JUSTICE SOCIETY #1
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #1
BOOSTER GOLD #1
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1
WATCHMEN #1
MAN OF STEEL #1
LEGENDS #1
LAST DAYS OF THE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
WONDER WOMAN #1
THE QUESTION #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
BATMAN: SON OF THE DEMON #1
MILLENNIUM #1
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
ANIMAL MAN #1
V FOR VENDETTA #1
COSMIC ODYSSEY #1
INVASION! #1
THE SANDMAN #1
DOOM PATROL #19
THE HUNTRESS #1
BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1
GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN #1
(1980-89)
Here's the thing, as anyone who understands Green Lantern and the myriad color spectrum around him knows, emotions control everything. He who controls emotions, controls...everything. Except for himself. That's always been Psycho-Pirate's biggest failing; here is a villain who isn't defeated so much as defeats himself. That is, as I'm sure you'll agree, that most villains suffer from extreme overconfidence that eventually collapses in on itself, but the Psycho-Pirate is different. He channels emotions thanks to the Medusa Mask. Anyone foolish enough to look directly at him immediately falls to the power of the mask, and his mastery of emotion. Just not his own. This is called irony. Being aware so keenly of the power of emotion, he becomes overwhelmed by it, the totality of it. It makes him somewhat cosmically aware. He comprehends things on a scale few others can imagine, but he becomes paralyzed by this knowledge. He doesn't know how to overcome this.
He certainly doesn't know what to do about the multiverse. Because while others may be aware that it exists, only Psycho-Pirate knows how they interact. Or rather, how they once collapsed. During a crisis...
All of time creeps into this vision, naturally. The Psycho-Pirate knows that Superman, when he was a boy, once worked alongside the Legion of Super-Heroes, in the 30th Century, but that this alliance came to a permanent end that sent them in disparate directions, perhaps to the detriment of them both, if they ever understood what the Psycho-Pirate could see...
The Psycho-Pirate saw the story of Batman unfold, from the very beginning to recruiting allies in Robin and Batgirl.
The daughter of the Batman from Earth-2, the Huntress, stepped across the multiverse.
Mongul arrived and pitted Superman against Martian Manhunter.
A team of new Teen Titans gathered, and Deathstroke the Terminator took on a contract against them.
Primus took charge of the Omega Men and launched a crusade in the Vegan system.
Superman and Batman waged separate battle against the amazing Spider-Man and a rampaging Hulk, respectively.
On Earth-2, the Justice Society expanded into the All-Star Squadron.
Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew emerged in the multiverse.
The Legion battled the greatest darkness that ever lived in the final campaign of Apokolips.
There occurred a crisis on Earth-Prime.
The Teen Titans clashed with the X-Men.
King Arthur returned in the far future.
Ambush Bug cracked reality in his massive debut.
Jason Todd debuted as the new Robin. His origin was much the same as Dick Grayson's. Or was it?
Lobo became the most infamous last of a kind.
A ronin in the distant past may have been conjured by a madman in the future.
The Batman of Earth-1 met the Batman of Earth-2.
The trial of the Flash became inevitable after he murdered his arch-nemesis, the Reverse-Flash.
Swamp Thing learned that he wasn't actually Alec Holland, but rather an earth avatar merely convinced that it was Holland.
Deathstroke and Terra took out the Judas Contract on the Teen Titans.
The legacy of Superman was examined at various points in the future.
The Justice Society on Earth-2 disbands.
And at last...the Crisis. The Psycho-Pirate watches in horror as the Anti-Monitor declares war on the multiverse, becoming an unwitting pawn. Eventually, the multiverse collapses...and all of reality resets, with only the Psycho-Pirate knowing that any of it ever happened...Most tragic of all is the sacrifice of Barry Allen, the Flash, after having finally cleared his name of murder, too...
And what of the Superboy of Earth-Prime? What indeed?
Booster Gold arrived from the future in order to become a superhero of the modern day.
An aging Batman confronted the twilight of his career, having descended into nightmare.
A comedian was murdered.
Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
The Psycho-Pirate witnessed Superman born anew.
Darkseid launched a campaign against Earth in the present.
The Justice Society retired into a never-ending battle.
The Psycho-Pirate saw Batman's origin recounted once more, and then Wonder Woman's.
The Question emerged once more.
The Justice League found a sense of humor.
Jason Todd's origin changed.
The son of Batman was conceived.
No one could stop the Manhunters.
The Joker took his madness too far, arbitrarily paralyzing Batgirl.
Buddy Baker, Animal Man, began a journey toward the meta.
A man in a Guy Fawkes mask battled the forces of anarchy in the near-future.
Darkseid sought the Anti-Life Equation.
The Psycho-Pirate sees fans vote for the death of Jason Todd.
A cosmic invasion occurred.
Dream woke up.
The Doom Patrol crawled from the wreckage.\
The Huntress reincarnated on Earth-1.
Batman explored a serious house on a serious earth.
The Legion reached maturity.
Tim Drake became the third Robin.
The Psycho-Pirate observes the origin of Green Lantern. And he wonders...
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #259, 290
THE UNTOLD LEGEND OF THE BATMAN #1
WONDER WOMAN #271
DC COMICS PRESENTS #27, 52, 87
THE NEW TEEN TITANS #1, 2, 16, 42
GREEN LANTERN #141
MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #28
DC SPECIAL SERIES #27
ALL-STAR SQUADRON #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #207
MARVEL AND DC PRESENT: THE UNCANNY X-MEN AND THE NEW TEEN TITANS #1
CAMELOT 3000 #1
BATMAN #357, 404, 408, 426, 442
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #200
OMEGA MEN #3
RONIN #1
THE FLASH #324
THE SAGA OF THE SWAMP THING #21
SUPERMAN #400, 423
AMERICA VS. THE JUSTICE SOCIETY #1
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #1
BOOSTER GOLD #1
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1
WATCHMEN #1
MAN OF STEEL #1
LEGENDS #1
LAST DAYS OF THE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
WONDER WOMAN #1
THE QUESTION #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
BATMAN: SON OF THE DEMON #1
MILLENNIUM #1
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
ANIMAL MAN #1
V FOR VENDETTA #1
COSMIC ODYSSEY #1
INVASION! #1
THE SANDMAN #1
DOOM PATROL #19
THE HUNTRESS #1
BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1
GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN #1
(1980-89)
Monday, August 28, 2017
DC70
"DARKSEID IS"
And lo, there came a time when the Teen Titans went their separate ways. Crushed in their idealism by the Justice League, the young heroes disbanded in the wake of their failure to prevent the assassination of peace activist Arthur Swenson. Convinced that they were doing more harm than good, Robin, Wonder Girl, Speedy, Kid Flash, and Hawk & Dove gave up their costumes, but found a new benefactor in Mr. Jupiter, and someone their own age, Mal Duncan, who still believed in them.
Green Arrow challenges Green Lantern to prove he cares as much about humans as he does aliens. Together, they hit the road and explore America.
Media mogul Morgan Edge is discovered to be under the employ of a dark god.
Superman's worst nightmare, the existence of Kryptonite, finally ends, but then he begins losing his powers, too.
Escape artist Thaddeus Brown finally meets the one trap he can't break free from: death itself. His mysterious pupil Scott Free, however, takes up the Mister Miracle identity in tribute.
"DARKSEID IS"
Batman is captured by the League of Assassins and locked in a prison cell. He finds his cellmate Talia beguiling, and in many ways the perfect match he never expected to find. Then he meets the master of the League, Ra's al Ghul, who reveals that Talia is his daughter, and the whole reason the League was sent after Batman was to trick him into falling in love with her.
A man named Damian and a woman named Linda are arguing, casting recriminations against each other, and all their secrets are exposed. Linda accuses Damian of having murdered her previous lover. Before he can object, a Swamp Thing appears and murders Damian. Linda can't know that this Swamp Thing is her reanimated lover.
Green Arrow's quest to redeem Green Lantern's humanity hits a snag when he discovers his sidekick Speedy has become a junkie, and he had no idea.
Mister Miracle reunites with the love of his life, Big Barda, as they confront the vengeance of Apokolips, the world Scott Free escaped years ago.
John Stewart is mad at the world but feels totally impotent to affect real change. Then he's awarded the power ring of Green Lantern.
"DARKSEID IS"
The Seven Soldiers of Victory reunite from across time to battle their greatest foe.
Jason Blood becomes the Demon
and if you look for rhyme or reason
you'll just end up feeling sick
for 'tis a king's most wicked trick.
Wonder Woman ends a personal crusade to prove herself in the world of man on its own terms and resumes her Amazonian crusade by returning to Paradise City and performing twelve labors.
Billy Batson once more utters the word "Shazam!" and becomes Captain Marvel, having been denied the transformation for years by the evil Doctor Sivana.
Klarion the Witch Boy
is in the employ
of a mischievous spirit
to test the Demon's wit.
The Sandman enters your dreams in a bright costume.
The Spectre exacts grim wrath on criminals.
Libre briefly has the powers of a god and transcends his enemies in the Justice League, but can't balance the scales of his own nature.
"DARKSEID IS"
Stalker exchanges his soul in order to become a warrior, but realizes he lost his humanity in the process.
Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein converge into the Firestorm matrix.
The Reverse-Flash murders Iris Allen, the Flash's wife.
Green Lantern discovers Guy Gardner being held prisoner by Sinestro in the Phantom Zone. Like John Stewart, Guy had been considered an alternate for Hal Jordan's power ring. In rescuing him, Hal found that Sinestro had broken Guy, leaving him with brain damage and in a coma.
"DARKSEID IS"
It's a decade fraught with trauma, all of it orchestrated by the dark god of Apokolips, himself battling a never-ending war in the Fourth World against his counterparts on New Genesis. In his mad quest for the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid has the heroes of Earth question everything they had long assumed about themselves. Eventually the whole affair ends in implosion, and perhaps a rebirth...
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
TEEN TITANS #25, 26
GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW #76, 85, 86, 87
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #134
SUPERMAN #233
MISTER MIRACLE #1, 4
DETECTIVE COMICS #411
BATMAN #232
HOUSE OF SECRETS #92
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #100, 111
THE DEMON #1, 7
WONDER WOMAN #203, 204
SHAZAM! #1
SANDMAN #1
ADVENTURE COMICS #431
STALKER #1
FIRESTORM, THE NUCLEAR MAN #1
THE FLASH #275
GREEN LANTERN #123
(1970-79)
And lo, there came a time when the Teen Titans went their separate ways. Crushed in their idealism by the Justice League, the young heroes disbanded in the wake of their failure to prevent the assassination of peace activist Arthur Swenson. Convinced that they were doing more harm than good, Robin, Wonder Girl, Speedy, Kid Flash, and Hawk & Dove gave up their costumes, but found a new benefactor in Mr. Jupiter, and someone their own age, Mal Duncan, who still believed in them.
Green Arrow challenges Green Lantern to prove he cares as much about humans as he does aliens. Together, they hit the road and explore America.
Media mogul Morgan Edge is discovered to be under the employ of a dark god.
Superman's worst nightmare, the existence of Kryptonite, finally ends, but then he begins losing his powers, too.
Escape artist Thaddeus Brown finally meets the one trap he can't break free from: death itself. His mysterious pupil Scott Free, however, takes up the Mister Miracle identity in tribute.
"DARKSEID IS"
Batman is captured by the League of Assassins and locked in a prison cell. He finds his cellmate Talia beguiling, and in many ways the perfect match he never expected to find. Then he meets the master of the League, Ra's al Ghul, who reveals that Talia is his daughter, and the whole reason the League was sent after Batman was to trick him into falling in love with her.
A man named Damian and a woman named Linda are arguing, casting recriminations against each other, and all their secrets are exposed. Linda accuses Damian of having murdered her previous lover. Before he can object, a Swamp Thing appears and murders Damian. Linda can't know that this Swamp Thing is her reanimated lover.
Green Arrow's quest to redeem Green Lantern's humanity hits a snag when he discovers his sidekick Speedy has become a junkie, and he had no idea.
Mister Miracle reunites with the love of his life, Big Barda, as they confront the vengeance of Apokolips, the world Scott Free escaped years ago.
John Stewart is mad at the world but feels totally impotent to affect real change. Then he's awarded the power ring of Green Lantern.
"DARKSEID IS"
The Seven Soldiers of Victory reunite from across time to battle their greatest foe.
Jason Blood becomes the Demon
and if you look for rhyme or reason
you'll just end up feeling sick
for 'tis a king's most wicked trick.
Wonder Woman ends a personal crusade to prove herself in the world of man on its own terms and resumes her Amazonian crusade by returning to Paradise City and performing twelve labors.
Billy Batson once more utters the word "Shazam!" and becomes Captain Marvel, having been denied the transformation for years by the evil Doctor Sivana.
Klarion the Witch Boy
is in the employ
of a mischievous spirit
to test the Demon's wit.
The Sandman enters your dreams in a bright costume.
The Spectre exacts grim wrath on criminals.
Libre briefly has the powers of a god and transcends his enemies in the Justice League, but can't balance the scales of his own nature.
"DARKSEID IS"
Stalker exchanges his soul in order to become a warrior, but realizes he lost his humanity in the process.
Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein converge into the Firestorm matrix.
The Reverse-Flash murders Iris Allen, the Flash's wife.
Green Lantern discovers Guy Gardner being held prisoner by Sinestro in the Phantom Zone. Like John Stewart, Guy had been considered an alternate for Hal Jordan's power ring. In rescuing him, Hal found that Sinestro had broken Guy, leaving him with brain damage and in a coma.
"DARKSEID IS"
It's a decade fraught with trauma, all of it orchestrated by the dark god of Apokolips, himself battling a never-ending war in the Fourth World against his counterparts on New Genesis. In his mad quest for the Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid has the heroes of Earth question everything they had long assumed about themselves. Eventually the whole affair ends in implosion, and perhaps a rebirth...
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
TEEN TITANS #25, 26
GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW #76, 85, 86, 87
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #134
SUPERMAN #233
MISTER MIRACLE #1, 4
DETECTIVE COMICS #411
BATMAN #232
HOUSE OF SECRETS #92
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #100, 111
THE DEMON #1, 7
WONDER WOMAN #203, 204
SHAZAM! #1
SANDMAN #1
ADVENTURE COMICS #431
STALKER #1
FIRESTORM, THE NUCLEAR MAN #1
THE FLASH #275
GREEN LANTERN #123
(1970-79)
Thursday, August 24, 2017
DC60
It begins with a question. Simple, really: "How did he lose his hair?"
The person asking is Vic Sage, a TV reporter from Hub City, but he's not doing an on-air piece. He's having a conversation with Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man. Did I say "begin"? Because this is well into the decade, near the end of it, really, 1967. Ralph has already made his name, and his twitching nose has become world famous, by then, but Vic, at least the one no one knows, the one without a face, is one of the few persons alive who can give the quirky detective a run for his money. His question concerns Lex Luthor. Ralph's been wondering why the Justice League of America, easily the decade's biggest story, came together, and Vic asks in return, "How did he lose his hair?" Vic answers every question with another question. He just never stops asking. He's not the kind of guy who keeps friends. At first, Ralph is mystified. All he really wanted was brag about being offered membership, something he's sure Vic is never going to receive, something he and Sue can joke about when they have Vic over for dinner, because Ralph's a clown even if he's the greatest superhero detective the world will ever know; rumor has it he conceived the stretching gimmick mostly to drive clients his way.
Of course he bites. "Do you know?"
"Did you hear about Van-Zee?" Of course Ralph had. Van-Zee was another Kryptonian, like Superman, so much like Superman that Lois Lane actually confused the two for long enough that Sylvia DeWitt, a socialite who yearned to be Lois but never had the reporting skills for the gig, decided Van-Zee was good enough for her, and they got married before settling on Venus. The difference between Lois and Sylvia was about the same as Van-Zee's inability to live up to Superman's legacy; it takes drive to be Superman, as it turns out, not to mention a certain amount of distracting aloofness, which sort of comes with the territory.
Vic, of course, doesn't mention why Van-Zee is significant, but it's enough for Ralph to realize Lex Luthor, by most accounts a millionaire philanthropist, is probably the elusive madman who has been plaguing Superman throughout the decade. But what does that have to do with his hair?
"Trick question: Was Superman a part of the Justice League's first adventure?" When the alien parasite Starro came to Happy Harbor, it triggered the convergence of Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash, and Green Lantern, all the major superheroes who'd appeared in the wake of Superman. Ralph knows Superman wasn't a part of this adventure, except that he offered the new team his blessings. So technically no. And yes.
He also knows Superman had nothing to do with the spectacular circumstances in which Allen Adam was transformed into Captain Atom at the height of the nuclear arms race during the Cold War, thus inadvertently becoming one of the decade's defining figures. It wasn't long after this, actually, that Ralph first assumed the Elongated Man identity. He investigated Adam's story and found that it checked out.
The Justice League, meanwhile, battled another amazing enemy, Professor Ivo's android Amazo, who could duplicate the powers of each member, and then later still another would-be conqueror from space, Despero. Ralph first became aware of Vic Sage when he learned the reporter had been questioning whether or not Lex Luthor had been drawing these aliens to Earth in an effort to discredit Superman, the world's most famous extraterrestrial. Vic's response? "Would that really be out of character?"
Then he asks, "Have you heard of the Phantom Zone?" Ralph professes ignorance, but then looks into it and discovers that a young Superman had encountered it, only to learn that one of Krypton's greatest villains was trapped there, General Zod. For the first time, Ralph wonders if Vic is asking for him to look into Superman's past to puzzle out the present's menace, Lex Luthor. He discovers that Green Lantern's greatest enemy comes from his past, too: the evil Sinestro, who had once been a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
Vic asks Ralph if reality is the same as it ever was, and to illustrate he asks if Ralph heard about the time the Flash met the Flash, in the fateful day Keystone City was discovered at the other end of Central City, twenty years after it seemed to have vanished from existence. Ralph has no idea what to make of this at all, but he'll be reminded of it soon enough. Vic asks him something easier, to investigate someone named Pete Ross in Smallville, whom Ralph learns is a childhood friend of another reporter, Clark Kent, whom Vic suggests could in fact be Superman. Faster than a speeding bullet?
Green Lantern is confronted by Star Sapphire, whom Vic suggests is really Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's girlfriend. That's nothing compared to the Justice League meeting the Justice Society, the full-blown version of the Flash meeting his inspiration from another Earth. Villains with identity issues, Eclipso and Dr. Polaris, appear. Ralph asks a question for a change, about whether or not the new Teen Titans are a junior Justice League, to which Vic replies, "Who is Donna Troy?" Green Lantern strikes again, helping Sinestro's successor, Katma Tui, realize her devotion to the Corps. A third Earth appears, introducing the Crime Syndicate, evil versions of the Justice League. Ralph asks if there's an evil Elongated Man. Vic replies, "Where's Zatanna's father?" Aquaman marries Mera upon settling concerns about her citizenship with disgruntled Atlanteans. The Riddler strikes Gotham City for the first time in twenty years. Buddy Baker becomes Animal Man. The Cluemaster challenges Gotham City. Vic and Ralph agree that Riddler and Cluemaster have nothing on them, but of course Vic asks, "Have you seen the Batman?" Ralph takes a break to attend the Flash's wedding to Iris West, although Vic tells asks him, "Did you see the Reverse-Flash there?" He also wonders if Ralph cares for the idea of Plastic Man, to which Ralph replies, "He's fantastic."
There's a Batgirl in Gotham when Vic officially enters the scene at the same time as the Blue Beetle. After the Flash races Superman, Ralph asks, "Who won?" Vic replies, "Does it matter?" And then, "Did you ever have the feeling you were inhabited by a Deadman?" Ralph learns that Lois Lane has quit her romantic obsession with Superman. Vic only says, "Who's creepier than the Creeper?" right after wondering what will become of Guy Gardner, the man who would be Green Lantern. Then Vic asks Ralph, "Do you know who Julius Schwartz is?" And has he seen Wonder Woman's new costume? Another trick question, as it turns out. She's become a spy. What about Superman's Vietnam adventure? Or the Justice League's war on Mars? And, "Who is the Phantom Stranger?" Who will stop Green Arrow? Did Abel forgive Cain? Who will follow Black Canary into the League? Will the madness of Jean Loring end peaceably? What drove Snapper Carr to leave the Justice League?
Ralph says..."Enough questions, Vic. I get it. I investigated Lex Luthor. Turns out he's from Smallville. Can't tell you how hard it was to nail that. Lex really knows how to stretch the truth. Clark Kent is Superman, and Clark and Lex were once friends. Lex inadvertently became a fan of his best friend after Clark became Superman, but their friendship ended forever when Superman asked Lex to study the deadly Kryptonite meteor, and it poisoned him, which among other things caused him to lose all his hair, not to convincing him that Superman had sought to eliminate the one person in the whole world who could expose him for what he really was."
"Did he ever suspect?"
"That's the funny part," Ralph says. But the Question is no longer there.
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND, LOIS LANE #15, 80
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28, 30, 54, 85
SPACE ADVENTURES #33
ADVENTURE COMICS #271, 283
THE FLASH #112, 123, 165, 179
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1, 12, 21, 22, 29, 71, 75, 77
GREEN LANTERN #7, 16, 21, 30, 59
SUPERBOY #86
HOUSE OF SECRETS #61
DETECTIVE COMICS #327, 351, 359
HAWKMAN #4
AQUAMAN #18
BATMAN #171
STRANGE ADVENTURES #180, 205
PLASTIC MAN #1
BLUE BEETLE #1
SUPERMAN #199, 216
SHOWCASE #73
WONDER WOMAN #178
THE PHANTOM STRANGER #1
TEEN TITANS #22
DC SPECIAL #4
THE ATOM AND HAWKMAN #45
(1960-69)
The person asking is Vic Sage, a TV reporter from Hub City, but he's not doing an on-air piece. He's having a conversation with Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man. Did I say "begin"? Because this is well into the decade, near the end of it, really, 1967. Ralph has already made his name, and his twitching nose has become world famous, by then, but Vic, at least the one no one knows, the one without a face, is one of the few persons alive who can give the quirky detective a run for his money. His question concerns Lex Luthor. Ralph's been wondering why the Justice League of America, easily the decade's biggest story, came together, and Vic asks in return, "How did he lose his hair?" Vic answers every question with another question. He just never stops asking. He's not the kind of guy who keeps friends. At first, Ralph is mystified. All he really wanted was brag about being offered membership, something he's sure Vic is never going to receive, something he and Sue can joke about when they have Vic over for dinner, because Ralph's a clown even if he's the greatest superhero detective the world will ever know; rumor has it he conceived the stretching gimmick mostly to drive clients his way.
Of course he bites. "Do you know?"
"Did you hear about Van-Zee?" Of course Ralph had. Van-Zee was another Kryptonian, like Superman, so much like Superman that Lois Lane actually confused the two for long enough that Sylvia DeWitt, a socialite who yearned to be Lois but never had the reporting skills for the gig, decided Van-Zee was good enough for her, and they got married before settling on Venus. The difference between Lois and Sylvia was about the same as Van-Zee's inability to live up to Superman's legacy; it takes drive to be Superman, as it turns out, not to mention a certain amount of distracting aloofness, which sort of comes with the territory.
Vic, of course, doesn't mention why Van-Zee is significant, but it's enough for Ralph to realize Lex Luthor, by most accounts a millionaire philanthropist, is probably the elusive madman who has been plaguing Superman throughout the decade. But what does that have to do with his hair?
"Trick question: Was Superman a part of the Justice League's first adventure?" When the alien parasite Starro came to Happy Harbor, it triggered the convergence of Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, the Flash, and Green Lantern, all the major superheroes who'd appeared in the wake of Superman. Ralph knows Superman wasn't a part of this adventure, except that he offered the new team his blessings. So technically no. And yes.
He also knows Superman had nothing to do with the spectacular circumstances in which Allen Adam was transformed into Captain Atom at the height of the nuclear arms race during the Cold War, thus inadvertently becoming one of the decade's defining figures. It wasn't long after this, actually, that Ralph first assumed the Elongated Man identity. He investigated Adam's story and found that it checked out.
The Justice League, meanwhile, battled another amazing enemy, Professor Ivo's android Amazo, who could duplicate the powers of each member, and then later still another would-be conqueror from space, Despero. Ralph first became aware of Vic Sage when he learned the reporter had been questioning whether or not Lex Luthor had been drawing these aliens to Earth in an effort to discredit Superman, the world's most famous extraterrestrial. Vic's response? "Would that really be out of character?"
Then he asks, "Have you heard of the Phantom Zone?" Ralph professes ignorance, but then looks into it and discovers that a young Superman had encountered it, only to learn that one of Krypton's greatest villains was trapped there, General Zod. For the first time, Ralph wonders if Vic is asking for him to look into Superman's past to puzzle out the present's menace, Lex Luthor. He discovers that Green Lantern's greatest enemy comes from his past, too: the evil Sinestro, who had once been a member of the Green Lantern Corps.
Vic asks Ralph if reality is the same as it ever was, and to illustrate he asks if Ralph heard about the time the Flash met the Flash, in the fateful day Keystone City was discovered at the other end of Central City, twenty years after it seemed to have vanished from existence. Ralph has no idea what to make of this at all, but he'll be reminded of it soon enough. Vic asks him something easier, to investigate someone named Pete Ross in Smallville, whom Ralph learns is a childhood friend of another reporter, Clark Kent, whom Vic suggests could in fact be Superman. Faster than a speeding bullet?
Green Lantern is confronted by Star Sapphire, whom Vic suggests is really Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's girlfriend. That's nothing compared to the Justice League meeting the Justice Society, the full-blown version of the Flash meeting his inspiration from another Earth. Villains with identity issues, Eclipso and Dr. Polaris, appear. Ralph asks a question for a change, about whether or not the new Teen Titans are a junior Justice League, to which Vic replies, "Who is Donna Troy?" Green Lantern strikes again, helping Sinestro's successor, Katma Tui, realize her devotion to the Corps. A third Earth appears, introducing the Crime Syndicate, evil versions of the Justice League. Ralph asks if there's an evil Elongated Man. Vic replies, "Where's Zatanna's father?" Aquaman marries Mera upon settling concerns about her citizenship with disgruntled Atlanteans. The Riddler strikes Gotham City for the first time in twenty years. Buddy Baker becomes Animal Man. The Cluemaster challenges Gotham City. Vic and Ralph agree that Riddler and Cluemaster have nothing on them, but of course Vic asks, "Have you seen the Batman?" Ralph takes a break to attend the Flash's wedding to Iris West, although Vic tells asks him, "Did you see the Reverse-Flash there?" He also wonders if Ralph cares for the idea of Plastic Man, to which Ralph replies, "He's fantastic."
There's a Batgirl in Gotham when Vic officially enters the scene at the same time as the Blue Beetle. After the Flash races Superman, Ralph asks, "Who won?" Vic replies, "Does it matter?" And then, "Did you ever have the feeling you were inhabited by a Deadman?" Ralph learns that Lois Lane has quit her romantic obsession with Superman. Vic only says, "Who's creepier than the Creeper?" right after wondering what will become of Guy Gardner, the man who would be Green Lantern. Then Vic asks Ralph, "Do you know who Julius Schwartz is?" And has he seen Wonder Woman's new costume? Another trick question, as it turns out. She's become a spy. What about Superman's Vietnam adventure? Or the Justice League's war on Mars? And, "Who is the Phantom Stranger?" Who will stop Green Arrow? Did Abel forgive Cain? Who will follow Black Canary into the League? Will the madness of Jean Loring end peaceably? What drove Snapper Carr to leave the Justice League?
Ralph says..."Enough questions, Vic. I get it. I investigated Lex Luthor. Turns out he's from Smallville. Can't tell you how hard it was to nail that. Lex really knows how to stretch the truth. Clark Kent is Superman, and Clark and Lex were once friends. Lex inadvertently became a fan of his best friend after Clark became Superman, but their friendship ended forever when Superman asked Lex to study the deadly Kryptonite meteor, and it poisoned him, which among other things caused him to lose all his hair, not to convincing him that Superman had sought to eliminate the one person in the whole world who could expose him for what he really was."
"Did he ever suspect?"
"That's the funny part," Ralph says. But the Question is no longer there.
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND, LOIS LANE #15, 80
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28, 30, 54, 85
SPACE ADVENTURES #33
ADVENTURE COMICS #271, 283
THE FLASH #112, 123, 165, 179
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1, 12, 21, 22, 29, 71, 75, 77
GREEN LANTERN #7, 16, 21, 30, 59
SUPERBOY #86
HOUSE OF SECRETS #61
DETECTIVE COMICS #327, 351, 359
HAWKMAN #4
AQUAMAN #18
BATMAN #171
STRANGE ADVENTURES #180, 205
PLASTIC MAN #1
BLUE BEETLE #1
SUPERMAN #199, 216
SHOWCASE #73
WONDER WOMAN #178
THE PHANTOM STRANGER #1
TEEN TITANS #22
DC SPECIAL #4
THE ATOM AND HAWKMAN #45
(1960-69)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
DC50
We knew it was going to be a strange decade when the first big news was Superbaby. Thankfully Darwin Jones, who called himself the science detective and was the source for most of what we came to learn, didn’t look into that one too much. Instead, he claimed that the best way to understand our future was to examine the past, where he discovered the existence of the Tomahawk Rangers, who he said was responsible for much of the frontier justice some of the more notorious elements of the 19th century managed to obscure. Still, when pressed, he did look into the absurd claims that came out of Smallville, and interviewed Lana Lang, who he said only pretended ignorance on the subject, but again, he didn’t press the matter. Astra, the so-called “girl of the future,” briefly consumed his attention, but was another subject that quickly became an afterthought, even though she seemed to have quite a bit of valuable information, which he necessarily kept close to the vest.
Jones wasn’t the only magnet of the decade. The mysterious Batman in Gotham City was a continuous source of fascination. A pair of British heroes emerged, calling themselves Knight and Squire, and for all intents and purposes could pass for dead ringers of the Dark Knight and his sidekick Robin, who were themselves busy dealing with Killer Moth. Jones reported, however, on the Knights of the Galaxy, whom he said had been referenced by Astra and held a key to one of the great surprises that lay ahead. It wasn’t, however, Captain Comet, a galactic hero who worked alone. All Jones was willing to admit about what he knew was that he had his own partner in these matters, Johnny Peril, who necessarily handled the most difficult assignments. He did not, however, claim association with Rex the Wonder Dog. When asked about the Phantom Stranger, he admitted even he was ignorant.
In Metropolis, Jones had an extensive interview with Halk Kar, who had claimed to be Superman’s older brother, but the truth was even stranger than fiction, given that his true origins were from an entirely different alien world, but the exact details were matters he believed better kept hidden from the general public, lest anyone learn too much about Superman; the last thing he wanted was to adversely impact the life of the man Halk would still have proudly called family. Someone else associated with Superman also bowed out, the whiz known as Captain Marvel, who could also just as easily have been related to the Man of Steel. Jones didn’t have concrete information on another subject, either, reports of a strange new visitor possibly hailing from Mars, but he vowed to learn more soon. He was on the scene, however, when Superman and Batman shared an adventure, and he reported goosebumps, “as if it were history in the making.” He declined to say whether or not he’d been told about it by Astra.
Another associate of Mr. Jones was Congo Bill, who began making global headlines for his daring escapades. More reports of heroes inspired by Batman, meanwhile, continued to pour in, including the existence of Legionary, Man-of-Bats and Dark Ranger. Rex the Wonder Dog was seen romping across the countryside with Krypto, or maybe it was just a matter of someone’s imagination getting away from them, since even Jones couldn’t confirm whether or not “Superboy’s dog” actually existed, either in the strange Smallville past or our present. There was no denying Ace, the “Bat-hound,” however, because everyone saw those pictures.
Dipping back into history, and cryptically suggesting that he may be speaking of actual familial relations to Superman, Jones helped resurrect the adventures of Brian Kent, the Silent Knight, possibly to deflect any comments on reports that “Superboy” had decided to leave Smallville, but again, with so little confirmation on any of these youthful adventures of Superman, what was he to say? He was far more eager to introduce the world to the Martian Manhunter, who he said would be one of the most powerful superheroes ever. In Gotham, Batwoman appeared, while in Central City, The Flash came in a crimson burst, the first time a hero went by that name since the one who mysteriously vanished years earlier along with seemingly the rest of Keystone City. Perhaps the daredevil Challengers of the Unknown could explain his speed, but Barry Allen, who worked for police forensics, wouldn’t. At least, he was late for his interview with Jones, who grew impatient and left.
He instead turned his attention to a fairly tall tale about Superman’s father, Jor-El, who was supposed to have gone into the heroic business years before his son. Again, however, Jones couldn’t confirm, since of course Jor-El is deceased, along with the rest of Superman’s alien countrymen from the world of Krypton. Captain Cold provided distractions for the Flash and everyone else when he made his chilling debut, at any rate. More unsubstantiated reports had Batman taking a journey into space, where he visited the world of Zur-En-Arrh. Perhaps at a loss for credibility, Jones spoke for the first time about the Legion of Super-Heroes, probably an association he’d heard about from Astra, though he said they’d been spotted in Smallville interacting with “Superboy,” but were actually from a thousand years in the future…Next he tried relating to whoever still wanted to listen the fantastic origin of Wonder Woman, the existence of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, and even the Bottle City of Kandor, which he claimed came from Krypton but had been miniaturized by a villain named Brainiac. It was probably worth a shot. Maybe he could claim that the Space Ranger told him about it.
Batman’s efforts to capture the Calendar Man proved diverting for a while, but then Jones brought up Bizarro, an “imperfect duplicate of Superman.” Maybe he wanted to come off as a lunatic? Adam Strange was more convincing, claiming that he was having adventures on an alien world called Rann, and had the tech to prove it. Sympathy for Jones began to surface when his friend Congo Bill was turned into an ape, and started to refer to himself as Congorilla. The Blackhawks, longtime associates of Jones, meanwhile, helped balance his fortunes by admitting Zinda Blake, the first female to join their high-flying ranks. She was better off in the air than on the ground, where Mr. Freeze menaced Batman and Mirror Master plagued the Flash. Blake probably heard tales of Sgt. Rock and the Easy Company from her fellow Blackhawks, who no doubt coordinated missions with them during WWII. Maybe the Flash could have used them to fend off Gorilla Grodd and the Pied Piper.
Jones was happy to report that the appearance of Supergirl was no hoax, that Superman really had just discovered another survivor of Krypton, who just happened to be his cousin! Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy, however, was reported to be experiencing anxiety, fear that he might be replaced, something his counterpart in Batman’s family, Robin, had successfully avoided., or maybe it was just Robin’s way of coping with Bat-Mite, by denying reality. Who knows? Jones avoided that one, too, but at least had Rip Hunter and the Time Masters to talk about, or even the grim story of Rick Flag, Jess Bright, Hugh Evans, and Karin Grace, the Suicide Squad.
But the time had finally come for him to reveal the greatest secret revealed to him by Astra, after test pilot Hal Jordan finally resurfaced after having gone missing for weeks. He and Jones helped reveal the existence of Green Lantern, who was just part of an intergalactic police corps that would no doubt make not just the universe but our world a safer and more stable place than it had been throughout the strange and unsettling decade. No one ever asked Jones why he’d seemed to so deliberately encourage all that nonsense himself…
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
SUPERBOY #8, 10, & 68
STRANGE ADVENTURES #1 & 9
TOMAHAWK #1
SENSATION COMICS #99 & 107
BATMAN #62, 63, 78, 92, 113, & 121
MYSTERY IN SPACE #1
THE ADVENTURES OF REX THE WONDER DOG #1
THE PHANTOM STRANGER #1
SUPERMAN #80 & 113
WHIZ COMICS #155
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #71
CONGO BILL #1
DETECTIVE COMICS #215, 225, 233, 259, & 267
ADVENTURE COMICS #210, 217, 247, & 260
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1 & 25
SHOWCASE #4, 6, 8, 15, 17, 20, & 22
WONDER WOMAN #98
ACTION COMICS #241, 242, 248, & 252
BLACKHAWK #133
THE FLASH #105 & 106
OUR ARMY AT WAR #81
(1950-59)
Jones wasn’t the only magnet of the decade. The mysterious Batman in Gotham City was a continuous source of fascination. A pair of British heroes emerged, calling themselves Knight and Squire, and for all intents and purposes could pass for dead ringers of the Dark Knight and his sidekick Robin, who were themselves busy dealing with Killer Moth. Jones reported, however, on the Knights of the Galaxy, whom he said had been referenced by Astra and held a key to one of the great surprises that lay ahead. It wasn’t, however, Captain Comet, a galactic hero who worked alone. All Jones was willing to admit about what he knew was that he had his own partner in these matters, Johnny Peril, who necessarily handled the most difficult assignments. He did not, however, claim association with Rex the Wonder Dog. When asked about the Phantom Stranger, he admitted even he was ignorant.
In Metropolis, Jones had an extensive interview with Halk Kar, who had claimed to be Superman’s older brother, but the truth was even stranger than fiction, given that his true origins were from an entirely different alien world, but the exact details were matters he believed better kept hidden from the general public, lest anyone learn too much about Superman; the last thing he wanted was to adversely impact the life of the man Halk would still have proudly called family. Someone else associated with Superman also bowed out, the whiz known as Captain Marvel, who could also just as easily have been related to the Man of Steel. Jones didn’t have concrete information on another subject, either, reports of a strange new visitor possibly hailing from Mars, but he vowed to learn more soon. He was on the scene, however, when Superman and Batman shared an adventure, and he reported goosebumps, “as if it were history in the making.” He declined to say whether or not he’d been told about it by Astra.
Another associate of Mr. Jones was Congo Bill, who began making global headlines for his daring escapades. More reports of heroes inspired by Batman, meanwhile, continued to pour in, including the existence of Legionary, Man-of-Bats and Dark Ranger. Rex the Wonder Dog was seen romping across the countryside with Krypto, or maybe it was just a matter of someone’s imagination getting away from them, since even Jones couldn’t confirm whether or not “Superboy’s dog” actually existed, either in the strange Smallville past or our present. There was no denying Ace, the “Bat-hound,” however, because everyone saw those pictures.
Dipping back into history, and cryptically suggesting that he may be speaking of actual familial relations to Superman, Jones helped resurrect the adventures of Brian Kent, the Silent Knight, possibly to deflect any comments on reports that “Superboy” had decided to leave Smallville, but again, with so little confirmation on any of these youthful adventures of Superman, what was he to say? He was far more eager to introduce the world to the Martian Manhunter, who he said would be one of the most powerful superheroes ever. In Gotham, Batwoman appeared, while in Central City, The Flash came in a crimson burst, the first time a hero went by that name since the one who mysteriously vanished years earlier along with seemingly the rest of Keystone City. Perhaps the daredevil Challengers of the Unknown could explain his speed, but Barry Allen, who worked for police forensics, wouldn’t. At least, he was late for his interview with Jones, who grew impatient and left.
He instead turned his attention to a fairly tall tale about Superman’s father, Jor-El, who was supposed to have gone into the heroic business years before his son. Again, however, Jones couldn’t confirm, since of course Jor-El is deceased, along with the rest of Superman’s alien countrymen from the world of Krypton. Captain Cold provided distractions for the Flash and everyone else when he made his chilling debut, at any rate. More unsubstantiated reports had Batman taking a journey into space, where he visited the world of Zur-En-Arrh. Perhaps at a loss for credibility, Jones spoke for the first time about the Legion of Super-Heroes, probably an association he’d heard about from Astra, though he said they’d been spotted in Smallville interacting with “Superboy,” but were actually from a thousand years in the future…Next he tried relating to whoever still wanted to listen the fantastic origin of Wonder Woman, the existence of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, and even the Bottle City of Kandor, which he claimed came from Krypton but had been miniaturized by a villain named Brainiac. It was probably worth a shot. Maybe he could claim that the Space Ranger told him about it.
Batman’s efforts to capture the Calendar Man proved diverting for a while, but then Jones brought up Bizarro, an “imperfect duplicate of Superman.” Maybe he wanted to come off as a lunatic? Adam Strange was more convincing, claiming that he was having adventures on an alien world called Rann, and had the tech to prove it. Sympathy for Jones began to surface when his friend Congo Bill was turned into an ape, and started to refer to himself as Congorilla. The Blackhawks, longtime associates of Jones, meanwhile, helped balance his fortunes by admitting Zinda Blake, the first female to join their high-flying ranks. She was better off in the air than on the ground, where Mr. Freeze menaced Batman and Mirror Master plagued the Flash. Blake probably heard tales of Sgt. Rock and the Easy Company from her fellow Blackhawks, who no doubt coordinated missions with them during WWII. Maybe the Flash could have used them to fend off Gorilla Grodd and the Pied Piper.
Jones was happy to report that the appearance of Supergirl was no hoax, that Superman really had just discovered another survivor of Krypton, who just happened to be his cousin! Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy, however, was reported to be experiencing anxiety, fear that he might be replaced, something his counterpart in Batman’s family, Robin, had successfully avoided., or maybe it was just Robin’s way of coping with Bat-Mite, by denying reality. Who knows? Jones avoided that one, too, but at least had Rip Hunter and the Time Masters to talk about, or even the grim story of Rick Flag, Jess Bright, Hugh Evans, and Karin Grace, the Suicide Squad.
But the time had finally come for him to reveal the greatest secret revealed to him by Astra, after test pilot Hal Jordan finally resurfaced after having gone missing for weeks. He and Jones helped reveal the existence of Green Lantern, who was just part of an intergalactic police corps that would no doubt make not just the universe but our world a safer and more stable place than it had been throughout the strange and unsettling decade. No one ever asked Jones why he’d seemed to so deliberately encourage all that nonsense himself…
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
SUPERBOY #8, 10, & 68
STRANGE ADVENTURES #1 & 9
TOMAHAWK #1
SENSATION COMICS #99 & 107
BATMAN #62, 63, 78, 92, 113, & 121
MYSTERY IN SPACE #1
THE ADVENTURES OF REX THE WONDER DOG #1
THE PHANTOM STRANGER #1
SUPERMAN #80 & 113
WHIZ COMICS #155
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #71
CONGO BILL #1
DETECTIVE COMICS #215, 225, 233, 259, & 267
ADVENTURE COMICS #210, 217, 247, & 260
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1 & 25
SHOWCASE #4, 6, 8, 15, 17, 20, & 22
WONDER WOMAN #98
ACTION COMICS #241, 242, 248, & 252
BLACKHAWK #133
THE FLASH #105 & 106
OUR ARMY AT WAR #81
(1950-59)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
DC40
Where were you when the superheroes came? It was a decade in which they seemed to explode onto the scene and disappear just as abruptly. It was the appearance of the Flash, whom sources later identified as Jay Garrick, that truly made everyone think of Greek myth, given that his distinctive helmet evoked the messenger god Hermes, and because they were both speedy it seemed to fit perfectly. It was antiquities collector Carter Hall, however, who really complicated things, convincing himself that he was the reincarnation of the Egyptian Prince Khufu, donning an elaborate costume to transform himself into Hawkman, babbling about his soul mate Shiera and the evil Hath-Set, whom he called his sworn enemy. We heard about a boy named Johnny Thunder, who was somehow able to summon a mystical being he called Thunderbolt, and then some newsboy called Billy Batson, who seemed to have the scoop on Captain Marvel, who everyone agreed had a striking resemblance to Superman, the truly iconic wonder operating out of Metropolis. Detective Jim Corrigan likewise had a suspect relationship with the Spectre, the so-called spirit of vengeance that seemed to have a knack for ironic justice. Hourman was probably more amusing to the general public, given that he was rumored to be powered only an hour at a time.
Some people seemed more interested in trying to do something about it than others. Lex Luthor was a brilliant scientist who struggled to make sense of the claims some of these heroes were presenting for the origins of their incredible abilities, including the so-called “hard water” that had given Jay Garrick his speed. It was clear, however, that Luthor was more concerned with Superman, who relied less on fantastic and preposterous gimmicks than the continuing claim that he was, in fact, an alien, which was a far more alarming prospect than any terrestrial matter, given that we were all in the thick of a world war, which was at least something Luthor could wrap his head around. As usual, though, if something stirred in Metropolis there was an equal yet opposite reaction in Gotham, and Batman introduced his “boy wonder” sidekick Robin, which was an incredible development that would have more lasting repercussions than any of the more colorful heroes still emerging onto the scene. As if to contrast this, the appearance of Doctor Fate was contrasted with the emerging threats of the Joker and Catwoman, two decidedly human individuals who were among the first of what the media dubbed “supervillains,” what was considered a direct result of the provocation someone like Batman actually represented. Noted film actor Basil Karlo transformed himself into Clayface as if to punctuate these claims.
It was the debut of Green Lantern, Alan Scott, that began to blur the edges still further. His powers were derived from a magic ring that gave him the ability to create whatever he could imagine, something many believed could only be possible if the ring had extra-terrestrial origins, which Scott himself was never able to confirm. Somewhat less speculative and certainly less concrete was Uncle Sam, who was dismissed as a delusional figure who actually believed he was the reincarnation of a Revolutionary War soldier, a sort of strictly American answer to Hawkman.
Given that there were suddenly so many of them, someone realized that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to team up, which is exactly what Spectre, Flash, Hawkman, the existing Sandman, and a couple of smaller-tier heroes like Biff Bronson, Ultra-Man, and Red White & Blue did, tenuously. It didn’t last very long, but it was at least a precedent. The Atom, Al Pratt, soon appeared, and then Red Tornado, a woman who said she was inspired by Green Lantern. Perry White, who had just become editor of the Daily Planet, devoted much of his paper to these heroes, though he put the spotlight thoroughly on Superman. The culmination of all this exposure, and certainly of the basic mutual awareness that they existed, led to the formal inductions into the Justice Society of America of Flash, Atom, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman, and Spectre, with the noted omission of Johnny Thunder, whose petulant behavior served both to advertise the team and its strict membership guidelines. The government soon took notice, and summoned the Justice Society to provide official service to the country. Still, it was Superman and Batman who received most of the attention, being more mysterious and extraordinary, and perhaps too necessary in their home territories of Metropolis and Gotham, the largest cities in America.
Like Green Lantern, Starman was aided by a special devise, which Ted Knight claimed he’d fashioned himself, while Doctor Mid-Nite fancied himself a superheroic medical professional. Both would end up serving in the Justice Society. The country received more direct support, though, from Blackhawk and Miss America, while Plastic Man, Firebrand, Human Bomb, Mouthpiece, and Phantom Lady all served their own interests. Some people were still thinking about the Flash, though, the first of the superheroes to appear, including Johnny Chambers, who announced that he’d discovered an equation that would give him the same speed as Jay Garrick, and took to calling himself Johnny Quick whenever he recited it. Are you curious? It was 3X2(9YZ)4A. Yeah, it never worked for me, either. I always assumed you had to know your math.
The Star-Spangled Kid and his sidekick Stripesy were easily the most patriotic superheroes to appear since the questionably-sane Uncle Sam, though they engaged in the useful activity of thwarting Nazi spies, months before the country entered the war thanks to Pearl Harbor. Perhaps inspired by them, and maybe Batman and Robin, Green Arrow and Speedy arrived on the scene, while Aquaman emerged from the oceans in what for him must have been convenient timing, since he couldn’t have known so many other gaudily-attired individuals were already fighting crime on dry land. Batman gained a new foe in the Penguin, the first new threat to appear in Gotham in more than a year, but still didn’t think to add to his allies, while that’s exactly what Green Arrow and the Star-Spangled Kid decided when they formed the Seven Soldiers of Victory with Shining Knight, Vigilante, and the Crimson Avenger, who had been engaged in these activities probably longer than anyone. Captain Marvel, meanwhile, welcomed who he called Captain Marvel, Jr. to his family, essentially a younger version of himself.
Perhaps the most sensational debut of the decade was Wonder Woman, who was said to be an ambassador from a tribe of Amazons, sent to “man’s world” to serve as an example for justice. She was greeted by Army captain Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, who agreed to help her make the transition. Terry Sloane and Ted Grant meanwhile, were a pair of athletes who donned costumes to transform into Mister Terrific and Wildcat, respectively; it was never confirmed that they were inspired by Wonder Woman, but once again, a strong Greek influence was hard to deny. Paul Kirk, perhaps by another amazing coincidence, soon turned himself into Manhunter.
In Metropolis, beat cop Jim Harper became the Guardian, and took on a group of orphans as his Newsboy Legion, perhaps as a criticism of the fact that Superman seemed to have overlooked Suicide Slum. There was also Robotman, who was said to have a human brain but otherwise robotic body, and who knows how that happened? Perhaps the street level was exactly where the Man of Steel should have been concentrating, because while he tangled with the Prankster, Batman was once more dealing with some very human threats of his own, including Two-Face and Boss Moroni. The war effort soon found itself supported by Brooklyn, Andre Chavard, Jan Haasen, Alfie Twidgett, and Captain Rip Carter, who formed the Boy Commandos.
Wonder Woman’s presence continued to have a sizable impact, as she soon found herself allied by Green Lantern and Flash, perhaps one of the more notable all-star combinations of the decade. Alfred Pennyworth was an amateur detective, meanwhile, who also happened to serve as a butler to Bruce Wayne, and many times suggested that he may have discovered Batman’s true identity. Maybe it was the distraction of Doctor Psycho, ably handled by Wonder Woman, that prevented his claims from being confirmed. Regardless, she continued to receive most of the attention, and action. While Superman handled another obvious nuisance in Toyman, Wonder Woman handled Cheetah. Green Lantern galvanized his fanbase by reciting what would soon become an iconic oath: “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight; let those who worship evil’s might beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!” Perhaps it was just the inspiration he needed to tackle Vandal Savage, who claimed he was immortal. Still, Wonder Woman stole the spotlight again when she battled Giganta. Hard to say how anyone noticed that one!
Perhaps with so much competition, even the best of them started to become frustrated. Superman insisted that he didn’t make up the existence of the transdimensional dwarf he called Mxyzptlk (but then, who would actually invent such an absurd name?), and Green Lantern reported the existence of Solomon Grundy (“born on a Mond’y”), the reanimated corpse of the murdered Cyrus Gold, though he gave most of the credit to hobos (as if that made it more believable). For some reason, Wonder Woman changed her allegiances to Hawkman and Flash. From the heartland, reports began to surface that Superman had been active in Smallville years before he surfaced in Metropolis, so youthful that he had in fact been known as Superboy at the time. As if to justify Wonder Woman’s newfound faith in him, Hawkman tackled Jonathan Cheval, who called himself the Monocle. Neptune Perkins joined Aquaman as a marine-based hero. Perhaps the least-wanted addition to anyone’s associates was Black Adam, who said he was a predecessor of Captain Marvel, but was more of a rival and adversary.
The beginning of the end was ushered by Sandman’s retirement, a move that caught many by surprise, since he seemed to have been around just about longer than anyone. Even Superman wasn’t immune, almost literally, given that he was involved in the first full-blown atomic incident since the end of the war. Maybe it was just a case of reality trying to set in, but it all still seemed too surreal, especially when Tommy Tomorrow became the first person to set foot on Mars, or when Robin shockingly went on his first adventure without Batman, both of which would have not only been unthinkable but considered impossible just a few years earlier. The Wizard and the Gentleman Ghost seemed to take advantage of these circumstances to join the supervillain racket. Maybe that’s why Wonder Woman introduced the world to Wonder Girl, because she sensed the world could use a little comfort, or why people were suddenly interested in Tomahawk, a hero who had been active in a different century. The hapless Johnny Thunder met Dinah Drake and Larry Lance, who were somehow connected to the alluring Black Canary, who took over his territory without much trouble.
Years after the formation of the Justice Society, Vandal Savage and Wizard gathered the Thinker, Gambler, Brain Wave and Per Degaton to form the “Injustice Society,” exactly the opposite of what everyone needed. The Flash also found himself targeted by Thorn, and perhaps it was no surprise that Wonder Woman and the Black Canary had to come to the aid of the Justice Society after all, while Flash again confronted new threats on his own in the form of the Fiddler and Star Sapphire. But he would soon face worse times still. His pal Green Lantern, meanwhile, took on a different kind of sidekick in Streak the Wonder Dog, which raised a lot of eyebrows, but was still better than Johnny Thunder once again being eclipsed, this time by another hero from a bygone era who happened to share the same name. As if sensing the trend, Superman publicly celebrated ten years protecting Metropolis, just to remind everyone of all the good he’d done. And then people started talking about yet another hero from the Old West, this time Nighthawk.
Batman tackled Riddler and the Mad Hatter, two villains who messed with his head, to say the very least, but everyone figured he was up to the challenge. What no one was expecting was the retirement of Jay Garrick; the Flash had apparently run his last race. His friend Alan Scott, the Green Lantern, soon followed him. From Smallville came stories of Supergirl, if anyone wanted some happy tales of times past, a companion for the so-called Superboy. Who knows what they were thinking? Roy Raymond, the “TV detective,” maybe. Even he wouldn’t have wanted to report on the retirement of the Boy Commandos, or the biggest story of the decade, the existence of a substance known as Kryptonite, which was said to have lethal side-effects for Superman. Even though the war was over, casualties continued to be the story of the 1940s, and perhaps all of us were the poorer for it. For a decade that had produced so much magic, the cost was more than anyone could have imagined. Was it all worth it?
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
FLASH COMICS #1, 64, 66, 86, 88, 89, & 104,
WHIZ COMICS #2 &25,
MORE FUN COMICS #52, 55, 71, 73, & 101,
ADVENTURE COMICS #48, 61, 73, & 103,
ACTION COMICS #23, 40, 51, 64, & 101,
DETECTIVE COMICS #38, 40, 58, 66, 140, & 153,
BATMAN #1, 16, & 49,
ALL-AMERICAN COMICS #16, 19, 20, 25, 61, & 100,
NATIONAL COMICS #1,
ALL STAR COMICS #1, 3, 34, 37, & 38,
SUPERMAN #7, 30, 53, & 61,
WORLD’S BEST COMICS #1,
MILITARY COMICS #1,
POLICE COMICS #1,
STAR SPANGLED COMICS #1, 7, 65, & 69,
LEADING COMICS #1,
SENSATION COMICS #1,
BOY COMMANDOS #1 & 36,
COMIC CAVALCADE #1,
WONDER WOMAN #5, 6, 9, & 23,
GREEN LANTERN #9, 10, 30, & 38,
THE BIG ALL-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK,
MARVEL FAMILY COMICS #1,
REAL FACT COMICS #6,
ALL-FLASH #32,
WESTERN COMICS #5, and
SUPERBOY #5;
(1940-49)
Some people seemed more interested in trying to do something about it than others. Lex Luthor was a brilliant scientist who struggled to make sense of the claims some of these heroes were presenting for the origins of their incredible abilities, including the so-called “hard water” that had given Jay Garrick his speed. It was clear, however, that Luthor was more concerned with Superman, who relied less on fantastic and preposterous gimmicks than the continuing claim that he was, in fact, an alien, which was a far more alarming prospect than any terrestrial matter, given that we were all in the thick of a world war, which was at least something Luthor could wrap his head around. As usual, though, if something stirred in Metropolis there was an equal yet opposite reaction in Gotham, and Batman introduced his “boy wonder” sidekick Robin, which was an incredible development that would have more lasting repercussions than any of the more colorful heroes still emerging onto the scene. As if to contrast this, the appearance of Doctor Fate was contrasted with the emerging threats of the Joker and Catwoman, two decidedly human individuals who were among the first of what the media dubbed “supervillains,” what was considered a direct result of the provocation someone like Batman actually represented. Noted film actor Basil Karlo transformed himself into Clayface as if to punctuate these claims.
It was the debut of Green Lantern, Alan Scott, that began to blur the edges still further. His powers were derived from a magic ring that gave him the ability to create whatever he could imagine, something many believed could only be possible if the ring had extra-terrestrial origins, which Scott himself was never able to confirm. Somewhat less speculative and certainly less concrete was Uncle Sam, who was dismissed as a delusional figure who actually believed he was the reincarnation of a Revolutionary War soldier, a sort of strictly American answer to Hawkman.
Given that there were suddenly so many of them, someone realized that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to team up, which is exactly what Spectre, Flash, Hawkman, the existing Sandman, and a couple of smaller-tier heroes like Biff Bronson, Ultra-Man, and Red White & Blue did, tenuously. It didn’t last very long, but it was at least a precedent. The Atom, Al Pratt, soon appeared, and then Red Tornado, a woman who said she was inspired by Green Lantern. Perry White, who had just become editor of the Daily Planet, devoted much of his paper to these heroes, though he put the spotlight thoroughly on Superman. The culmination of all this exposure, and certainly of the basic mutual awareness that they existed, led to the formal inductions into the Justice Society of America of Flash, Atom, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman, and Spectre, with the noted omission of Johnny Thunder, whose petulant behavior served both to advertise the team and its strict membership guidelines. The government soon took notice, and summoned the Justice Society to provide official service to the country. Still, it was Superman and Batman who received most of the attention, being more mysterious and extraordinary, and perhaps too necessary in their home territories of Metropolis and Gotham, the largest cities in America.
Like Green Lantern, Starman was aided by a special devise, which Ted Knight claimed he’d fashioned himself, while Doctor Mid-Nite fancied himself a superheroic medical professional. Both would end up serving in the Justice Society. The country received more direct support, though, from Blackhawk and Miss America, while Plastic Man, Firebrand, Human Bomb, Mouthpiece, and Phantom Lady all served their own interests. Some people were still thinking about the Flash, though, the first of the superheroes to appear, including Johnny Chambers, who announced that he’d discovered an equation that would give him the same speed as Jay Garrick, and took to calling himself Johnny Quick whenever he recited it. Are you curious? It was 3X2(9YZ)4A. Yeah, it never worked for me, either. I always assumed you had to know your math.
The Star-Spangled Kid and his sidekick Stripesy were easily the most patriotic superheroes to appear since the questionably-sane Uncle Sam, though they engaged in the useful activity of thwarting Nazi spies, months before the country entered the war thanks to Pearl Harbor. Perhaps inspired by them, and maybe Batman and Robin, Green Arrow and Speedy arrived on the scene, while Aquaman emerged from the oceans in what for him must have been convenient timing, since he couldn’t have known so many other gaudily-attired individuals were already fighting crime on dry land. Batman gained a new foe in the Penguin, the first new threat to appear in Gotham in more than a year, but still didn’t think to add to his allies, while that’s exactly what Green Arrow and the Star-Spangled Kid decided when they formed the Seven Soldiers of Victory with Shining Knight, Vigilante, and the Crimson Avenger, who had been engaged in these activities probably longer than anyone. Captain Marvel, meanwhile, welcomed who he called Captain Marvel, Jr. to his family, essentially a younger version of himself.
Perhaps the most sensational debut of the decade was Wonder Woman, who was said to be an ambassador from a tribe of Amazons, sent to “man’s world” to serve as an example for justice. She was greeted by Army captain Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, who agreed to help her make the transition. Terry Sloane and Ted Grant meanwhile, were a pair of athletes who donned costumes to transform into Mister Terrific and Wildcat, respectively; it was never confirmed that they were inspired by Wonder Woman, but once again, a strong Greek influence was hard to deny. Paul Kirk, perhaps by another amazing coincidence, soon turned himself into Manhunter.
In Metropolis, beat cop Jim Harper became the Guardian, and took on a group of orphans as his Newsboy Legion, perhaps as a criticism of the fact that Superman seemed to have overlooked Suicide Slum. There was also Robotman, who was said to have a human brain but otherwise robotic body, and who knows how that happened? Perhaps the street level was exactly where the Man of Steel should have been concentrating, because while he tangled with the Prankster, Batman was once more dealing with some very human threats of his own, including Two-Face and Boss Moroni. The war effort soon found itself supported by Brooklyn, Andre Chavard, Jan Haasen, Alfie Twidgett, and Captain Rip Carter, who formed the Boy Commandos.
Wonder Woman’s presence continued to have a sizable impact, as she soon found herself allied by Green Lantern and Flash, perhaps one of the more notable all-star combinations of the decade. Alfred Pennyworth was an amateur detective, meanwhile, who also happened to serve as a butler to Bruce Wayne, and many times suggested that he may have discovered Batman’s true identity. Maybe it was the distraction of Doctor Psycho, ably handled by Wonder Woman, that prevented his claims from being confirmed. Regardless, she continued to receive most of the attention, and action. While Superman handled another obvious nuisance in Toyman, Wonder Woman handled Cheetah. Green Lantern galvanized his fanbase by reciting what would soon become an iconic oath: “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight; let those who worship evil’s might beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!” Perhaps it was just the inspiration he needed to tackle Vandal Savage, who claimed he was immortal. Still, Wonder Woman stole the spotlight again when she battled Giganta. Hard to say how anyone noticed that one!
Perhaps with so much competition, even the best of them started to become frustrated. Superman insisted that he didn’t make up the existence of the transdimensional dwarf he called Mxyzptlk (but then, who would actually invent such an absurd name?), and Green Lantern reported the existence of Solomon Grundy (“born on a Mond’y”), the reanimated corpse of the murdered Cyrus Gold, though he gave most of the credit to hobos (as if that made it more believable). For some reason, Wonder Woman changed her allegiances to Hawkman and Flash. From the heartland, reports began to surface that Superman had been active in Smallville years before he surfaced in Metropolis, so youthful that he had in fact been known as Superboy at the time. As if to justify Wonder Woman’s newfound faith in him, Hawkman tackled Jonathan Cheval, who called himself the Monocle. Neptune Perkins joined Aquaman as a marine-based hero. Perhaps the least-wanted addition to anyone’s associates was Black Adam, who said he was a predecessor of Captain Marvel, but was more of a rival and adversary.
The beginning of the end was ushered by Sandman’s retirement, a move that caught many by surprise, since he seemed to have been around just about longer than anyone. Even Superman wasn’t immune, almost literally, given that he was involved in the first full-blown atomic incident since the end of the war. Maybe it was just a case of reality trying to set in, but it all still seemed too surreal, especially when Tommy Tomorrow became the first person to set foot on Mars, or when Robin shockingly went on his first adventure without Batman, both of which would have not only been unthinkable but considered impossible just a few years earlier. The Wizard and the Gentleman Ghost seemed to take advantage of these circumstances to join the supervillain racket. Maybe that’s why Wonder Woman introduced the world to Wonder Girl, because she sensed the world could use a little comfort, or why people were suddenly interested in Tomahawk, a hero who had been active in a different century. The hapless Johnny Thunder met Dinah Drake and Larry Lance, who were somehow connected to the alluring Black Canary, who took over his territory without much trouble.
Years after the formation of the Justice Society, Vandal Savage and Wizard gathered the Thinker, Gambler, Brain Wave and Per Degaton to form the “Injustice Society,” exactly the opposite of what everyone needed. The Flash also found himself targeted by Thorn, and perhaps it was no surprise that Wonder Woman and the Black Canary had to come to the aid of the Justice Society after all, while Flash again confronted new threats on his own in the form of the Fiddler and Star Sapphire. But he would soon face worse times still. His pal Green Lantern, meanwhile, took on a different kind of sidekick in Streak the Wonder Dog, which raised a lot of eyebrows, but was still better than Johnny Thunder once again being eclipsed, this time by another hero from a bygone era who happened to share the same name. As if sensing the trend, Superman publicly celebrated ten years protecting Metropolis, just to remind everyone of all the good he’d done. And then people started talking about yet another hero from the Old West, this time Nighthawk.
Batman tackled Riddler and the Mad Hatter, two villains who messed with his head, to say the very least, but everyone figured he was up to the challenge. What no one was expecting was the retirement of Jay Garrick; the Flash had apparently run his last race. His friend Alan Scott, the Green Lantern, soon followed him. From Smallville came stories of Supergirl, if anyone wanted some happy tales of times past, a companion for the so-called Superboy. Who knows what they were thinking? Roy Raymond, the “TV detective,” maybe. Even he wouldn’t have wanted to report on the retirement of the Boy Commandos, or the biggest story of the decade, the existence of a substance known as Kryptonite, which was said to have lethal side-effects for Superman. Even though the war was over, casualties continued to be the story of the 1940s, and perhaps all of us were the poorer for it. For a decade that had produced so much magic, the cost was more than anyone could have imagined. Was it all worth it?
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
FLASH COMICS #1, 64, 66, 86, 88, 89, & 104,
WHIZ COMICS #2 &25,
MORE FUN COMICS #52, 55, 71, 73, & 101,
ADVENTURE COMICS #48, 61, 73, & 103,
ACTION COMICS #23, 40, 51, 64, & 101,
DETECTIVE COMICS #38, 40, 58, 66, 140, & 153,
BATMAN #1, 16, & 49,
ALL-AMERICAN COMICS #16, 19, 20, 25, 61, & 100,
NATIONAL COMICS #1,
ALL STAR COMICS #1, 3, 34, 37, & 38,
SUPERMAN #7, 30, 53, & 61,
WORLD’S BEST COMICS #1,
MILITARY COMICS #1,
POLICE COMICS #1,
STAR SPANGLED COMICS #1, 7, 65, & 69,
LEADING COMICS #1,
SENSATION COMICS #1,
BOY COMMANDOS #1 & 36,
COMIC CAVALCADE #1,
WONDER WOMAN #5, 6, 9, & 23,
GREEN LANTERN #9, 10, 30, & 38,
THE BIG ALL-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK,
MARVEL FAMILY COMICS #1,
REAL FACT COMICS #6,
ALL-FLASH #32,
WESTERN COMICS #5, and
SUPERBOY #5;
(1940-49)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
DC30
It began at the highest levels of authority. I cannot breach confidentiality of names now, and otherwise, even if I did, it wouldn’t matter. Roosevelt was already President for two years when he was informed about the arrival of a strange visitor to Earth. Sandra, or so her codename identified her, was the first one assigned to the mission, strictly in the interests of national security. It was suggested that this individual, whatever it was, posed a direct threat to our government.
Sandra enlisted the services of Henri Duval, a soldier of fortune whose specialized skills she believed would benefit her mission, which originally led her to the figure of a man who became known as Dr. Occult. The Doctor claimed to be a “ghost detective,” and led Sandra and Henri Duval down a rabbit-hole that led to what they later claimed to be vampires, but this was never substantiated. Sandra’s services were soon after voluntarily relinquished, and given to Steve Carson and the Federal Men, a team considered to be better suited to the task. Their investigations somehow led back to Dr. Occult, who had adopted a curious red and blue costume he himself could not explain. Within a matter of months, the Federal Men, too, lost their credibility when they reported having taken an extraordinary trip to the year 3000, where they encountered self-professed “ace sleuth” Jor-L, who helped them overcome a band of space pirates.
Soon after, the mission was handed over to Speed Saunders, Bart Regan, and Slam Bradley, each of whom specialized in legitimate fields, and came recommended by various government officials. Saunders was a federal agent, while Regan worked as a spy, and Bradley a police investigator. Together they uncovered the strange visitor’s identity as “Superman,” though at first the story was so incredible that they weren’t believed. It took reporter Lois Lane’s dogged inquiries to land Superman in the national news, beginning in the papers of Metropolis.
As if the supernatural hadn’t already played its hand in these events, a stage magician called Zatara also revealed his incredible abilities, as if to confirm the existence and veracity of Superman. Private detective Larry Steele soon uncovered the activities of masked vigilante the Crimson Avenger, moreover, and newsroom office boy Jimmy Olsen was the first individual since Lois Lane to verify that Superman was no hoax. In Gotham, Commissioner Gordon refused to comment on the existence of Batman, but the rumors were already taking on a life of their own.
Lane landed the scoop of the year when Superman agreed to recount to her a modified version of his origins. By that time, it was impossible to stem the positive tide of public opinion. No matter what we believed, he was a sensation, and soon an organization known as the Supermen of America was formed. The odd appearance of the Sandman briefly caught attention, but the leader of a ruthless crime syndicate, a formerly paralyzed scientist who took to calling himself the Ultra-Humanite, forced Superman to perform his greatest feat when he actually flew in the air in order to intercept the villain’s airplane. The Man of Tomorrow was here to stay.
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
NEW FUN #1 & 6,
NEW COMICS #2,
MORE FUN COMICS #15,
NEW ADVENTURE COMICS #12,
DETECTIVE COMICS #1, 20 & 27,
ACTION COMICS #1, 6 & 13,
SUPERMAN #1, and
NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR COMICS #1;
(1935-39)
Sandra enlisted the services of Henri Duval, a soldier of fortune whose specialized skills she believed would benefit her mission, which originally led her to the figure of a man who became known as Dr. Occult. The Doctor claimed to be a “ghost detective,” and led Sandra and Henri Duval down a rabbit-hole that led to what they later claimed to be vampires, but this was never substantiated. Sandra’s services were soon after voluntarily relinquished, and given to Steve Carson and the Federal Men, a team considered to be better suited to the task. Their investigations somehow led back to Dr. Occult, who had adopted a curious red and blue costume he himself could not explain. Within a matter of months, the Federal Men, too, lost their credibility when they reported having taken an extraordinary trip to the year 3000, where they encountered self-professed “ace sleuth” Jor-L, who helped them overcome a band of space pirates.
Soon after, the mission was handed over to Speed Saunders, Bart Regan, and Slam Bradley, each of whom specialized in legitimate fields, and came recommended by various government officials. Saunders was a federal agent, while Regan worked as a spy, and Bradley a police investigator. Together they uncovered the strange visitor’s identity as “Superman,” though at first the story was so incredible that they weren’t believed. It took reporter Lois Lane’s dogged inquiries to land Superman in the national news, beginning in the papers of Metropolis.
As if the supernatural hadn’t already played its hand in these events, a stage magician called Zatara also revealed his incredible abilities, as if to confirm the existence and veracity of Superman. Private detective Larry Steele soon uncovered the activities of masked vigilante the Crimson Avenger, moreover, and newsroom office boy Jimmy Olsen was the first individual since Lois Lane to verify that Superman was no hoax. In Gotham, Commissioner Gordon refused to comment on the existence of Batman, but the rumors were already taking on a life of their own.
Lane landed the scoop of the year when Superman agreed to recount to her a modified version of his origins. By that time, it was impossible to stem the positive tide of public opinion. No matter what we believed, he was a sensation, and soon an organization known as the Supermen of America was formed. The odd appearance of the Sandman briefly caught attention, but the leader of a ruthless crime syndicate, a formerly paralyzed scientist who took to calling himself the Ultra-Humanite, forced Superman to perform his greatest feat when he actually flew in the air in order to intercept the villain’s airplane. The Man of Tomorrow was here to stay.
Adapted from DC COMICS YEAR BY YEAR: A VISUAL CHRONICLE, based on entries from
NEW FUN #1 & 6,
NEW COMICS #2,
MORE FUN COMICS #15,
NEW ADVENTURE COMICS #12,
DETECTIVE COMICS #1, 20 & 27,
ACTION COMICS #1, 6 & 13,
SUPERMAN #1, and
NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR COMICS #1;
(1935-39)
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