Action Comics Weekly #617 (Phantom Stranger)
"Channel Switching"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Art - Joe Orlando
Inks & Letters - Fred Carrillo
Colors - Petra Scotese
Editor - Renee Witterstaetter
It's time for that guy who pops in whenever he darn well pleases... boy, I'm glad I'm not dreading Phantom Stranger chapters anymore!
--
We open with the story of Ky'lhorr (wonder if that's "killer" phonetically), an Atlantean Warrior King... from before the place went underwater. This is a story being told by a woman named Sylvia Blaine before a crowded room full of folks looking to... I dunno, take back control of their lives or something... a room also including the Phantom Stranger!
The Stranger wonders if this woman is just a fraud or charlatan, taking advantage of folks looking for answers. This is revealed not to be the case as she continues speaking... suddenly in tongues. She begins to seize up, and from her emerges... why, Ky'lhorr of course!
Ky'lhorr isn't sure quite what's going on, and approaches the Stranger, revealing that he had been cursed/possessed long ago. The Stranger attempts to reason with the Warrior, but it's no use.
Believing the Phantom Stranger to be a sorcerer... or a demon, Ky'lhorr flees into the busy streets. Our man gives chase, still trying to reason with the Atlantean. Ky'lhorr begs to have the curse removed... or be sent back to limbo where he can do no harm to others. Ya see, his blade hungers (more on that in a bit).
A horse-mounted Officer sees the hub-bub and attempts to disarm the Warrior... he winds up dismounted, and horse-jacked for his troubles. The Stranger steps into the charging horses path... and ensnares Ky'lhorr in his magical sphere.
Here we learn of the Curse of Ky'lhorr... doomed to be obsessed with death and bloodlust, he became an indiscriminate killing machine. And so, the Phantom Stranger frees the Warrior of his curse... which causes him to vacate Sylvia Blaine's body, and returning to... wherever.
We wrap up with Sylvia giving a statement to the press, which only proves she did not learn her lesson of tinkering with dangerous and unknown forces.
--
Taken on its own, this is kind of a "blah" outing for the Phantom Stranger. As many of you know, this character isn't one of my favorites, as I find him just too powerful to really get invested in. Take this chapter for example... it's a very brief chase scene, ending with Ky'lhorr getting locked in a deus ex magic bubble for the instant-cure. On the face of it, that's kind of weak.
But... that's not what this story is about. The thing I really appreciate about the Phantom Stranger stories here are that they're more based on examining the "evils that men do", or more specifically, the "evils that men unknowingly do"... and either learning from those mistakes, or (like in the case of Ms. Blaine) do not.
When we look at this as just another Phantom Stranger chapter in the part of a greater "whole" in Action Comics Weekly, it remains thematically similar, and adds to the idea that, while the Stranger is stupidly powerful, even he cannot get through to everyone. It is ultimately up to the individual to decide to change their ways... and, in that regard (and especially when compared with earlier outings), this chapter was a success!
I'd be remiss not to mention that the legendary Joe Orlando provides art this week... and, to me, it really looks like a more polished later work of Carmine Infantino (think Trial of the Flash era). Good, not great.
Tomorrow: Nightwing vs. Cheshire, Round 2... or is it 3?
Action Comics Weekly #614 (Phantom Stranger)
"Death God"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Pencils - Tom Grindberg
Inks - Brett Breeding
Letters - B. Sean Pinaha
Colors - Petra Scotese
Editor - Mike Carlin
Today we wrap up our second brief "visit" with the Phantom Stranger. He'll kind serve as a "guide" through our Action Comics Weekly journey... popping up probably a half-dozen more times during the run.
Last time out, he was being drained of his energy by a Mayan Death God... let's find out if he survived!
--
We open with Au Puch tormenting the Phantom Stranger in Chichen Itza. The baddie refers to it as his "Realm", and that's good enough for me. The Stranger states that Au Puch was foolish not to simply kill him, for he will continue to fight so long as he draws breath (which is something I wasn't sure the Phantom Stranger even did!). The Mayan Death God informs him (and us) that he is powered by the "Cosmic Life Force" of his worshipers... and that Daniel Gleason's book brought him back to this mortal plane. He then tosses the Stranger into the "Sacred Cenote" aka. the "Well of Sacrifice"... which is, believe it or not, a real thing that exists!
In the depths, the Stranger regains his heft and more normal form... Au Puch had drained him of much of his essence beforehand. Ya see, this is the baddie's plan... he's going to continue to feed of the Stranger, again and again... for all eternity! When our man protests this decision, dozens of skeletons rise from the Cenote floor.
The Stranger fights his way through the skeletal "cattle", being careful not to take his full aggression out on them. Thing of it is, it ain't their fault they're being used this way! The Stranger escapes the Well, and engages in battle with Au Puch in the skies above it.
They fight, and it appears as though the Stranger's offense is in vain. Amid the battle, however, he manages to sneak one little spark of light into the nape of the baddie's neck. This opens up communication between the Phantom Stranger, and Au Puch's "human vessel", Daniel Gleason!
Daniel is instructed to make his way toward the light... which, I mean, if the Phantom Stranger (or anyone!) is telling me to "Go toward the light", I might not be so sure that it's a good idea. Daniel, however, does what he is told.
The Stranger finally lets loose with a massive blast of light energy which reduces the Mayan Death God to a pile of goopy flesh and bone... from which, Daniel Gleason emerges! All's well that ends well!
--
And so ends our second stint (of six or seven) with the Phantom Stranger. I feel like the ending didn't quite measure up to the open, but it was still quite good.
I appreciate the use of the real world Cenotes... which, up until right now, I didn't even know were a thing. Who says comics can't be educational!
The Au Puch "life-draining" gimmick is a pretty well-trodden trope... kind of like the Vampire who keeps his victims alive in order to keep feeding on them. I suppose, in a way, Au Puch very much is a Vampire... so, it works!
Convincing Daniel Gleason to approach the light was a creative way to shake him back to reality... and ultimately, a creative way of beating the baddie. This was well done.
My only complaint is... I don't feel like we get all that much in "closure". Maybe I'm just too accustomed to exposition to the Nth degree, but this ending didn't feel like it tied up properly. What happens to the Mind Games book now? Can it now be read without summoning a Mayan Death God Energy Vampire?
I guess it was more a morality tale... or sorts. We learn not to muck around with forces we don't know (or respect) enough. Fair enough! What's important (to me) is... I enjoyed it!
Tomorrow: Nightwing and Speedy do London!
Action Comics Weekly #613 (Phantom Stranger)
"Can't Judge a Book..."
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Pencils - Tom Grindberg
Inks - Dennis Janke
Letters - Bob Pinaha
Colors - Petra Scotese
Editor - Mike Carlin
The Phantom Stranger again, eh? Well... at least it'll be short...
--
We open on the New York Subway, where a woman is reading a copy of Daniel Gleason's latest horror novel, Mind Games. Mind Games, eh? Hmm... I thought Hal already took care of that guy! Anyhoo, Gleason's work has been described as having the ability to (figuratively) "leap off the page"... and, well... you know where this is headed, don'tcha? After the bizarre attack, the woman lay dead, apparently dying of... old age?!
We shift scenes to Bruce (Eclipso) Gordon and the Phantom Stranger exiting a movie theater. They just saw something called About Sex Didn't Ask, which was a "Parody of Italian Art Films"... not sure if it ever existed, but it really doesn't matter. Whatever the case, the Stranger didn't get the references. They pass by a Newsagent and check out the headline, which talks about the mysterious death on the Subway. The Stranger snags a copy, leaving Poor Bruce to cough up a quarter and dime.
We jump to a beach where... a young fella is reading Mind Games. You'll never guess what happens to him!
We jump ahead to the evening... or an evening, I'm not sure if it's the same day or not. The Phantom Stranger sits in his office... when suddenly, he feels a great and powerful evil headed his way. Turns out, he's about to be visited by Daniel Gleason. The Writer needs some assistance of the Occult variety, and has heard that's right up the Stranger's alley.
Gleason reveals that the mysterious aging death on the Subway wasn't an isolated incident... in fact, it's become quite the thing... so much so, that the F.B.I. has gotten involved. He hands over the book... which the Stranger drops, realizing that the evil he'd sensed is coming from the book itself!
Daniel explains that his book is about Evil Mayan Spirits. Hmm, wonder if any of them know Talaoc? The Stranger presses Daniel for more information, only to learn that the book contains actual incantations... including a chant to Au Puch, a name the Stranger recognizes as a Mayan God of Death. Check this out... Daniel then proceeds to, get this... perform the chant!
The window flies open, and Daniel is suddenly overcome with this purple energy cloud... when it dissipates, all that remains is the gruesome Au Puch!
The Stranger confronts the God, and vows to separate it from Daniel Gleason's body. Au Puch, however, has a much different idea... he snags the Stranger with one of his weird tentacles, and proceeds to drain him of his energy!
--
Welp, here's where your humble host... eats crow! I really liked this! Thought it was pretty great!
I wasn't sure what quite to expect during my initial "flip through". Just looked like Phantom Stranger-y hoo-doo, a great big beast, and ethereal smoke. What I'll tell ya, is... I wasn't looking forward to it.
When I actually set in to read the thing, however... I thought this was incredibly strong! I like the dynamic of the Stranger trying to act as though he were an ordinary human. An ordinary human with an expertise in the occult, but "ordinary" nonetheless.
The idea of a Mayan Death God being trapped in a book? It's alright as a concept... and it helps get us where we need to be. I dig the way Au Puch took over Gleason as his vessel, considering that he's the one who "trapped" it into the book... though, Gleason chanting the incantation? That's kind of a dopey thing to have done, wasn't it? Anyhoo, I'm really looking forward to seeing how this plays out... and maybe, actually, becoming something of a Phantom Stranger fan? Oof, I feel dirty even typing it.
I don't really have any complaints about this story... however, I've still yet to read a single "horror" comic book story that has scared me. I feel like this is supposed to be scary... at least a little bit, but I just didn't get the heebie-jeebies here. If anyone reading has any really scary horror comics to recommend, please let me know!
Tomorrow: Superman goes Coast to Coast
Action Comics Weekly #610 (Phantom Stranger)
"Kenny and the Demon!"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Art - Kyle Baker
Letters - Bert Workman
Colors - Petra Scotese
Editor - Mike Carlin
Oh man... it's The Phantom Stranger.
And tomorrow's Deadman?
Boy, I'm glad there's no Spectre feature in Action Comics Weekly!
--
As our tale opens, we meet a fellow named Kenny Bushmiller... a poor dude who just can't seem to catch a break. No matter what the situation, the outcome never seems to go in his favor. Down in the dumps, and feeling rather persecuted... a hairy-scary demon sees him ripe for the picking. Elsewhere, the Phantom Stranger is chatting up his pal, Bruce "Eclipso" Gordon. This is fallout from the four-issue Phantom Stranger miniseries... that we only made it halfway thru here at the humble blog before tapping out.
Back to Kenny! He's in that whole "They'll all be sorry" mode, at which time, his computer appears to come to life (or, be possessed by that hairy-scary demon... and, uh, "interfaces" with him!
With his newfound connectivity and power, Kenny decides to exact a little revenge on this unfair world.
This unbalance is felt by the Phantom Stranger, and he realizes it's up to him to check into this... and so, he hops a ride into cyberspace via Bruce Gordon's telephone.
We rejoin Kenny, who just got his gas meter read. He feels like the gas company is screwing with him, and so... he blows up the underground gas main. The Demon-PC commands more "input", however, there's something blocking him. Well, more like someone. The Phantom Stranger reaches from inside the monitor, and nyoinks Bushmiller inside.
They fight... and the Stranger exorcises the Digital Demon. Annnnd... that's about it!
--
Okay, before we get into the content of this story... I'd like to discuss what this kind of story means in the context of Action Comics Weekly.
This strange one-and-done sort of story really illustrates the limitless possibilities Action Comics Weekly had. I wish they did more like this. Not that this story necessarily rocked my socks, but it lends a bit to the "wild west" approach to story-delivery that ACW had (in theory).
Folks of my generation (and a bit older) will probably have some familiarity with Public Access television stations. You really never knew what you were going to get... it could be the most boring, tedious garbage... or it could be the strangest most intriguing... uh, mostly garbage. This story feels to me a lot like Public Access... and I don't mean that as a slight. There could be this air of "danger" in Public Access... and I feel had Action Comics Weekly had more oddities like this, it could have as well.
So, a random one-off non-traditional Phantom Stranger story? Like I said, might not have rocked my socks... but, I wish there was more like this throughout the run. We're going to get a couple more... but, to my mind, there should have been a "wildcard" feature every single week.
Now... the story. Well, it wasn't the greatest thing in the world... but I didn't outright dislike it. It feels like it both struggled to reach eight-pages... while at the same time, struggled to end at only eight-pages. One thing I will say, the art was very fitting for the tone. If you're a Phantom Stranger fan... you'll probably dig it.
Tomorrow: International Incident Averted?
