Swamp Thing 1982 trailer

Sven is airing this tomorrow, and it has been at least three decades since I have watched it.  Or the sequel.

921. The fond Flash 100 Page Super Spectacular 22 review!

Yes, another comic book review!  This time it is one from 1973, which was a pretty influential year for your young agent.

774. Reviewing Blue Devil Annual #1 (Nov 1985)!

                 This is so much fun, but yeah, you do have to know about the characters to really enjoy it.

Villain of the Week- Ultra-Humanite

From Wiki (art by the late, great George Perez)- The Ultra-Humanite is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared as a recurring adversary of Superman, and was the first supervillain faced by him. Though his name is a near-synonym for Superman, he was designed to be the polar opposite of Superman; while Superman is a hero with superhuman strength, the Ultra-Humanite is a criminal mastermind who has a crippled body but a highly advanced intellect.^[1] The Ultra-Humanite served as Superman's nemesis until the introduction of Superman's archnemesis, the mad scientist Lex Luthor.^[2] The origins of the Ultra-Humanite are shrouded in mystery. Even he claims not to remember his true name or appearance and attributes his vast intellect and mental prowess to scientific experiments of an unknown nature. 

The Ultra-Humanite was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.^[3] He first appeared in Action Comics #13 (June 1939), which was written by Siegel and drawn by Paul Cassidy (serving as a ghost artist for Shuster).^[4]  Back to me: 

Hero of the Week- Black Condor (Quality)

From Wiki-  A Golden Age superhero who possesses the power of flight, the Black Condor was created by writer Will Eisner under the pseudonym Kenneth Lewis, and artist Lou Fine in Crack Comics #1 (cover-dated May 1940).^[3] Initially alternating with the Clock as the cover-featured character, he became the solo cover feature from issues #20-26 (Jan.-Nov. 1942). Fine drew the first 24 stories,^[4] and his feature continued to run through issue #31.^[5]   

As an infant traveling with his parents on an archaeological expedition thorough Outer Mongolia, Richard Grey Jr. survives after his family is killed by the bandit Gali Kan and his men. Rescued by a condor who raises him as her own, he learns to fly,^[6] as the origin story states, by "studying the movement of wings, the body motions, air currents, balance and levitation" of his avian siblings. A mountain hermit, Father Pierre, eventually discovers and civilizes the feral child, and teaches him to speak English.^[7] Richard tracks down and kills the Mongolian bandits who killed his parents and then departs for the United States where he uncovers a plot to kill United States Senator Thomas Wright. He is too late to save Wright from assassination, and so begins to use his identity.^[8] He adopts the guise of Black Condor to fight crooked politicians, rum-running bootleggers, and racketeers.^[9]  And now returning to me:

Hero of the Week- Red Tornado

 

From Wiki, patched together by me:  Red Tornado was formed with the merger of two entities: an android body created by supervillain T. O. Morrow^[2] and the Tornado Champion from the planet Rann. The Tornado Champion was the morally good part of a sentient tornado on Rann.  In 1968, Red Tornado appears at JSA headquarters on Earth-Two claiming to be the "original" Red Tornado. Although the JSA is suspicious, Red Tornado has all of Hunkel's memories. Morrow has other robots attack a museum and vaporize relics, and the JSA responds. Red Tornado, programmed to appear inept (and keep the JSA from realizing its true nature), exposes the JSA to the dust created by the vaporization and all except Doctor Fate fall into a coma. It then returns to Morrow's lair as programmed. Morrow's computer predicts that keeping Red Tornado active will allow Morrow to continue his criminal activity. Doctor Fate awakens the remaining JSA members from their coma, and Red Tornado betrays his fellow JSA members by telling them to use Morrow's energy weapons. The devices, rigged to explode, put the JSA and Red Tornado into a coma and Morrow returns to Earth-One to attack the Justice League.^[8] He puts the JLA into comas twice: once with energy duplicates and a second time with energy duplicates of their deadliest enemies. Red Tornado (who was not incapacitated by the energy backfire on Earth-Two) travels to Earth-One and revives the JLA members, who capture Morrow. It returns to Earth-Two and revives the JSA, which admits Red Tornado to full membership in gratitude.^[9][10]  Back to me now!

599. The JLA and JSA's most interesting team-up!

                  These two comic books were very important in my life- they pretty much set my ability to understand the DC Multiverse.

HOTW- Sargon the Sorcerer

 

From Wiki- Sargon debuted in All-American Comics #26, with a publication date of May 1941. He was a stage magician, dressed like a swami complete with turban, to disguise the fact that he wielded true mystic powers, passing off such feats as illusions. As a child, he came into possession of the mystic Ruby of Life which allowed him to control anything he touches (touching the ground lets him erect a wall, for instance).^[3]

Taking his professional name from the ancient king of the same name, Sargon has had a checkered career, acting mostly as a hero during the Golden Age aided first by his lady assistant Flora Styles, and later by his cartoonish fat little comic relief sidekick / manager Maximillian O'Leary as he battled crooks, spies and his azure-skinned archenemy the Blue Lama, the Queen of black magic.^[4]

HOTW- Amazing Man (DC)

From Wiki- Will Everett is a promising young African-American Olympian who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Following this, he becomes a janitor at a laboratory owned by Terry Curtis. After an accident where his equipment explodes, Everett develops the ability to mimic whatever properties he touched.^[2] The Ultra-Humanite initially employs Everett as a henchman along with Curtis (as Cyclotron) and Deathbolt.^[3] He later reforms and joins the All-Star Squadron.^[4][5] During Crisis on Infinite Earths, Amazing-Man is among the heroes chosen by the Monitor to stop the Anti-Monitor.^[6][7] He loses his original abilities and gains the ability to manipulate magnetism. In the 1950s, J. Edgar Hoover reveals Everett's secret identity to the public, which endangers his family. He becomes involved in the Civil Rights Movement after his nephew is murdered before dying from cancer.^[8][9] Back to me:

"Flash of Two Worlds"

From Wiki, of course- "Flash of Two Worlds!" is a landmark^[1] comic book story that was published in The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961). It introduces Earth-Two, and more generally the concept of the multiverse, to DC Comics.^[2] The story was written by Gardner Fox under the editorial guidance of Julius Schwartz (whose subsequent autobiography was titled Man of Two Worlds), and illustrated by Carmine Infantino. In 2009, DC Comics released a new digitally remastered graphic novel collection, DC Comics Classics Library: The Flash of Two Worlds. It features the classic flagship story and other subsequent pre-Crisis Flash material.  Back to me again (and I don't care about remasters very much):

HOTW- Zatanna

 

From Wiki- In her original origin, Zatanna was born to human Giovanni Zatara and Homo magi Sindella, inheriting her mother's natural affinity for magical powers. Six months after her birth, her mother disappeared and was presumably dead, leading her to be raised by her father. Growing up to be a stage magician with genuine magical powers and modelling herself similarly to her father, Zatara later mysteriously disappears, leading her to travel abroad to perfect her magical craft while searching for her father.^[7][8] Unknown to her, the details of her parents' disappearance were revealed overtime; her mother would later return to her people, a clan of Homo magi known as the "Hidden Ones" and her father was cursed by evil sorceress Allura that would kill both himself and his daughter should he see her again, leading him to reluctantly distance himself from her.^[7][9][8]. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman #4 (November 1964). When she is introduced, she is on a quest to find her father Zatara who made his first appearance in Action Comics #1 but had not been published regularly for several years.  Back to me:

445. All Star Comics #3 (1940) review!

             What a great concept- I am still surprised that it took this long to get together the top DC heroes.  Everything was so new back in 1940.

DC 100 Page Super Spectacular #6- Facsimile Edition (2004)

I just got this edition from MyComicShop.com, for a reasonable price.  I have an original, but since that is over 50 years old, I thought it would be nice to have readable copy that is only 21 years old.  I remember seeing this on the shelves then, and thinking "pfft, I have an original, what do I need this for?"  Which may have made sense back then, but the older the original gets the less I want to turn newsprint pages on it.  This has better paper and printing, and a sturdier cover, and looks to have been touched up in the coloring department.  Yes, selected recoloring.  There were two stories from the 40s that probably needed it.  There will be a podcast episode about this issue and book, probably for Sunday.

338. Super DC Giant S 26, featuring Aquaman!

One of my first Aquaman comics was a good introduction to the character!

HOTW- Wildcat

 

From Wiki- Orphaned during the Great Depression, Ted Grant found himself unemployed in the big city. One night, he saved "Socker" Smith, the heavyweight boxing champion, from a mugging. "Socker" took Ted under his wing, and soon Ted became a heavyweight boxing champion in his own right. He also became tangled unknowingly in his manager's sinister plans. His mentor "Socker" Smith was killed by Grant's managers Flint and Skinner who used a syringe, loaded with poison, in a boxing glove. The dose was only intended to slow down Smith, but the duo misjudged the potency. When Grant was arrested for the crime, Flint and Skinner, afraid that he might know what had really happened, arranged for the young fighter to be killed. Grant escaped the attempt and survived, but the policemen with him were killed. As a result, he became a fugitive. Later, he came upon a child who had been robbed of his Green Lantern comic. The boy, describing the mystery-man Green Lantern, inspired Grant to create the costume of a large black cat. He took the name Wildcat and vowed to clear his name. He brought Flint and Skinner to justice; the criminals were forced to confess, clearing Grant's name, and obtaining justice for Smith. Using the identity of Wildcat, Grant continued to fight crime.^[6] By issue #4, Wildcat had a custom motorbike, the Cat-o-Cycle and a comedy sidekick named Stretch Skinner.  Back to me!

HOTW- Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel)

From Wiki- In the original comics in the 1940s, Ma Hunkel is a working mother whose costume consists of longjohns and a cooking pot on her head. She adopts the identity of the Red Tornado to fight local criminals in her New York City neighborhood, inspired by her son's admiration for the superhero Green Lantern. The character's popularity was such that she was given a cameo in the first adventure of the Justice Society of America, visiting the JSA's headquarters but being forced by a humorous mishap, her pants splitting, to leave without having the chance to apply for membership. Later Justice Society stories have declared Ma to be an honorary member of the team.  Me again (until the last paragraph):

Future Quest v.1

 

Official premise by DC Comics:

When the adventurous and inquisitive Jonny Quest and his adoptive brother Hadji make a startling discovery in the swamplands of Florida, they are pulled into an epic struggle between the Space Rangers and a dangerous villain who threatens the galaxy. Now it’s up to the combined forces of Team Quest, Inter-Nation Security, Space Ghost, and a host of Hanna-Barbera’s greatest action heroes to stop him and save their universe!^[1]

CBS Saturday morning 1967

 What a lineup!  And this was just on CBS!  Both ABC and NBC had a slew of super shows as well.  Had I been more than two years old, these Saturday mornings would have been both heaven and hell to me.  Too many choices to choose from, though I am pretty sure I would have at least went with Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four.  But dang, a time like this wouldn't happen again for almost 30 years.  Busybody "concerned" groups- "think of the children!"

HOTW- The Human Bomb

From WIki-  Roy Lincoln is originally a scientist working with his father on a special explosive chemical called "27-QRX".^[4] When Nazi spies invade his lab and kill his father, he ingests the chemical to prevent it from falling into their hands. As a result, Lincoln gains the ability to cause explosions in any object he came into contact with, particularly through his hands; the only way to control it is to always wear special asbestos gloves (which were subsequently retconned into "Fibro-wax" gloves after the human health hazards of asbestos were discovered). Donning a containment suit to prevent any accidental explosions, Lincoln becomes the "Human Bomb", removing his gloves only to expose his explosive powers against Nazi and Japanese enemies, as well as ordinary criminals.^[5] He also fights the invisible Mr. Chameleon, the pied piper of destruction Herman Stingmayer, and Yarboe, who has the Human Bomb's explosive ability.^[6]

Justice!

What a great picture!  Sometimes you don't nee more words than that.  This was done by George Perez, probably on his first run with the book.  One can tell by Zatanna's costume, as well as the Red Tornado's costume (which is not great).  This was a great run on the book, I will tell you what.  I am glad to see both Supermen there.  I still wonder if the Batmen had ever met.  I know the Robins did.  Heck, even the Arrows did, sorta, though GA of Earth 2 was not a member of the JSA, and neither was Aquaman of E2.