Power of Shazam! #1,000,000 (1998)

Power of Shazam! #1,000,000 (November, 1998) or (November, 85271)
"Between the Rock and a Hot Place"
Writer & Penciller - Jerry Ordway
Inker - Dick Giordano
Colorist - Glenn Whitmore
Letterer - John Costanza
Assistant Editor - Frank Berrios
Editor - Mike Carlin
Cover Price: $2.50

The DC One Million issues never fail to catch my eye.  Not only due to their novel trade-dress, but also for just which titles were included... seeing that Young Heroes in Love (a title I need to visit sometime soon), Resurrection Man, and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow all had "One Million" issues makes me smile.  Another title that took part (of which I was unaware) is the book we're going to discuss today... The Power of Shazam!

As I'd mentioned during my Shazam! The New Beginning discussion, I have very little Captain Marvel knowledge... however, I'm trying to rectify that.  Perhaps jumping in on an issue #1,000,000 is a foolish way to "get my feet wet" on a character, but the cover looks awesome, so here we are...

--

We open at the Rock of Eternity where Steve Buscemi a woman called Satra finds the slumbering Captain Marvel, along with a treasure trove of artifacts.

Back on Mercury, which during this time frame serves as something of a communications hub, Satra emerges from a turbine.  She is greeted by her son, Tanist, who is sporting a cast on his right leg.  She removes her eye filters (-10 Buscemi) and hands over a disc crammed full of data that should prove to be of special interest to one called Tinker.

Satra heads off for a moment, leaving Tanist to guard the tesseract portal that lay deep behind the turbines.  A mustachioed gentleman called Prospero observes the activity and approaches the boy to get the skinny on what's going on.  The two struggle for a brief moment, before Prospero heads toward the portal planning on claiming its contents for himself.  As he gets pulled through, he begins to panic... Tanist grabs Prospero's leg, and they are both deposited at the Rock of Eternity.

The fellas approach the sleeping Marvel and Propero uses his eye-beams to slash off a chunk of his overgrown beard.  This reveals the famous Captain Marvel lightning-bolt... causing them to mistake him for the Flash.  When Prospero attempts to remove some hair that is obscuring the man's eyes, he is shocked to find Captain Marvel's eyes to be open.

Captain Marvel is now awake.  He lightly taps Prospero, which sends him flying... and look towards Tanist, who he confuses for old pal Freddy Freeman.

Prospero strikes back, firing an eye beam at one of the Rock's stalactites, causing it to nearly crush young Tanist.  Captain Marvel is able to shield the boy, however, the damage is already done.

Back on Mercury, the Headnet that connects all the inhabitants has gone kaput.  This causes all of the citizens to become wildly confused.  They all head into the tesseract, trampling Tanist's poor mother, Satra to death in the process.

Back at the Rock, Captain Marvel finds himself the target of multiple attackers, including Shade the M-Powered Woman, Atomic Ant (in his nicest Marvel/MiracleMan skivvies), Mr. Elastic, and the irredeemable Aquafresh.

Cap makes reasonably short work of these goofs, and in the process regains his missing memory.

He also remembers poor Tanist, and heads directly for him... passing by the Mercurians as they loot and destroy the treasures of the Rock.

With Tanist in his arms, Captain Marvel exits the tesseract.  When they are free from danger, he asks the lad to say his name.  Tanist lets out a "Captain Marvel", and is no sooner hit with a bolt of power-granting lightning!

The two Marvels then head out in attempt to locate the modern-day Flash.

--

Despite my confusion and perhaps inability to follow much of the goings on in this issue (I feel this is more an indictment on my reading comprehension than Mr. Ordway's ability to craft a narrative), I enjoyed it.  It would be unfair of me to point out any sort of perceived story-flaws, as this is just one chapter in a wide-reaching crossover... so I won't.

The action scenes were the high point of this issue, to me.  Watching Captain Marvel take on this crazy crew of villains (including the incomparable Aquafresh!) was a treat.  Seeing Cap finally get his memory back was great as well.  This story found a way to tie the contemporary Captain Marvel in with this far-flung future timeline, and did so perfectly.

My main problem becoming invested with stories like the Legion of Superheroes and, yes, even some other DC One Million entries is that the characters just feel too distant for me to really build any kind of connection with.  I don't worry when Saturn Girl is in trouble... because whatever she's going through just feels so far away.

It's like that George Carlin bit, that I will attempt to paraphrase/butcher.  He said something like, if you hear about a grand tragedy on television or over the radio, your ears perk up... and then when you come to learn that the incident occurred on the other side of the planet, you no longer care.  That's how I am with respect to comic stories that take place in the future (or in space, if I'm being honest).  With this being the "real" Billy Batson Captain Marvel (at least to my knowledge), I was able to actually care about the outcome.

This is a hard one to recommend as an out-of-sequence random read, but in viewing it as part of the greater DC One Million tapestry... or if you're a Captain Marvel fan, definitely check this one out.

--

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The horror... the horror!

Vigilante #50 (1988)

Vigilante #50 (February, 1988)
"A Life!"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Penciller - Steve Erwin
Inker - Jack Torrance
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Liz Berube
Editor - Mike Gold
Cover Price: $1.50

Spoilers are a funny and terrible thing.  I've had my share of comics stories spoiled before getting the chance to actually read them myself.  I've even had major key plot twists ruined for me while waiting on line at the comic book store.  So, uh... spoilers to follow...

One time in particular was back in 2003.  My absolute favorite book at the time was Marvel's New X-Men written by Grant Morrison.  I'll never forget standing in line to pay for my unhealthily large stack of books... only to have the jerk-ass behind the counter look at me and say:

"Can you believe Xorn was Magneto?!?"

My chin hit my chest, and the dude instantly realized what he had done.  He ruined the plot twist that the part two years of X-Men stories was leading up to... and he didn't just ruin it for me, there were other people in the shop as well.

He rang up my books, and I stopped him before he scanned New X-Men #146.  He looked at me funny, and I just shook my head "no".  Rather than argue, he gave it to me for free... I mean, the entire thing was ruined, it was the least he could do.  So yeah... I really don't like spoilers.

I said all of that so that I may say this.  This final issue of Vigilante will be irreparably spoiled for you should you choose to continue.  Granted this is a nearly thirty-year-old book, but I want to make it perfectly clear that I am about to ruin the (fairly shocking) ending in this here post.

Still with us?  Okey dokey... let's do this.

--

Adrian Chase picks up the latest edition of the local newspaper.  The headline states that someone called the Homeless Avenger has been killed.  The Homeless Avenger, like Chase, was a Vigilante.  It is alluded to that Chase left the Avenger to die in something of a riot the night prior.  This is just the beginning of Chase's realization of all the harm he has inflicted on those around him.

In order to perhaps justify his actions to himself, Chase thinks back to why he started on this path.  Why he became the Vigilante.  He was a District Attorney in Manhattan who had a hit put out on him... however, it would be Chase's family that paid the ultimate price.

Enter, Chase's on-again-off-again, Black Thorn.  She's sporting a black eye (courtesy of Chase... see, he's having a pretty rotten time of late).  They discuss the recent events concerning the Homeless Avenger.  Thorn wishes to speak about what happened between them the night before as well, however, Chase ain't having it.  She tries to keep him there, to which Chase smacks her across her face and knocks her down.

A man exits the building.  The police have been staking out the place overnight.  Captain Arthur Hall instructs his men to chase the fella down.  The pursuit continues through several blocks, several buildings, and over several fences.  They finally catch up with who they believe to be Adrian Chase... however, they got the wrong guy.  Probably still a bad guy, given the frantic escape attempt... but not their target.

Adrian Chase decides to take in a wholesome slasher movie to get his mind off of things.  There are some punk kids harassing an elderly fellow a few rows back.  Chase tries to maintain his cool, however, completely flips out and thrashes the little bastards.  As he pounds away, he comes to the terrifying realization that he no longer has any control over his Vigilante instincts.  He flees the theater as security approaches.

Black Thorn meets up with Detective Harry Stein at a diner to discuss what's going on with Adrian.  She fears his mental capacities are failing, and he just may be losing his mind.  Stein, understanding chap that he is tells her to chill out.

Chase, now in his Vigilante gear, raids an opium den... which becomes an incredibly violent and shooty affair.  The nearby police along with Hall receive word of the raid, and head over.

While Vigilante shoots anything that moves, he carries on an internal monologue recounting several others who wore his Vigilante costume and met with a fatal end... one by his own hand.  Before he knows it, Chase has killed dozens of men inside the opium den.  Surrounded by piles of fresh corpses, he thinks to himself how everyone in his presence winds up dead.  He collapses forward, and vomits.

The Police burst through the door, and Chase throws himself out a window.  Outside, after a brief period of rest and further reflection, Chase reenters the fray.  What appears to be a shootout between the police and some thugs was ultimately a trap to lure the Vigilante in.  No sooner does he enter, that all the guns turn to point at him.  What is a Vigilante to do?  He fires back.  Now, Adrian Chase is a cop-killer.

Attempting to flee before he can commit any more atrocities Chase is approached from behind.  He turns and instinctively fires... and realizes that he just shot Captain Hall dead.  They exchange a few, pretty contentious words as Hall lay dying.  As the rest of the officers approach, Chase flees once more.

The next scene... is the big one.  We observe Chase in his apartment.  He's holding a pistol, and he carefully inserts one bullet into the chamber.  He lifts his Vigilante mask and crushes it in his hand as he enters the bathroom.  He considers the significance of what he is about to do, and after a few moments of hesitation proceeds to place the pistol under his chin, and somewhat reluctantly... pulls the trigger.  Black Thorn enters moments later and discovers what had just occurred.

Click to Enlarge

The issue and series ends with the very small funeral service of Adrian Chase.  Adrian was cremated, and Thorn keeps his urn of ashes.

--

Now that was a damn fine way to close out a series.

I'd read this issue a few times before today's review, and each time I still get the butterflies as I work my way through it.  The moment after he shoots Hall... you know that he's taken that one step too far, and there would be no coming back.  In the hours leading up to the event in question, he recounts all of the lives he'd left in his wake in the name of his twisted form of justice.  He was initially put on his path due to the death of his wife and children... not unlike another certain skull-chested vigilante.  However, unlike the Punisher, Chase's motive was more justice than revenge.  I believe he somehow justified his actions, almost making it though they were for the overall good... the Punisher, I feel knows what he's doing is wrong... and he just gets over it.

You get the feeling that the Punisher doesn't really take inventory of his actions.  Never stopping to consider what he was doing.  Adrian Chase, however, continuously beat himself up over what he'd caused to occur.  When that overwhelming guilt... almost tangible... the physical heft of that guilt, was just too much for him to bear... well, he needed both a way out, and a way to pay for his sins.

Suicide is something that should not be taken lightly.  Kupperberg does an amazing job showing Chase actually hesitate.  He's sitting in his bathroom with that pistol... and he... stops.  He sits down.  He thinks.  He realizes the irrevocable nature of what he is about to do.  A lot of credit needs to be given to artist, Steve Erwin as well.  He gives us, in Chase's facial expressions (and even posture and visible mannerisms) such conflicting emotion.  Even to the final panel before killing himself, the detail of his finger trembling is included... up to the very last moment, Chase was struggling with his decision.

A terrible and wonderful issue that I'm sure this piece did very little justice to.  It is something that should be read... even though I've just ruined it.  If you come across this issue, don't hesitate... pick it up.  You can then hesitate with every turn of the page until Adrian Chase ultimately makes peace with and meets his (un)timely end.

--

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DC Challenge! #1 (1985)

DC Challenge! #1 (November, 1985)
"Phase One: Outbreak!"
Writer - Mark Evanier
Illustrators - Gene Colan & Bob Smith
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Carl Gafford
Editor - Dick Giordano
Cover Price: $1.25

Here's one I'd been wanting to discuss for quite a while.  The DC Challenge was something of a "traveling story" or "round robin" wherein a different creative team would work on each issue of the twelve-part maxi-series.  Each writer would challenge the next by putting the heroes in a kind of impossible situation (though one that can be solved).  It would be up to the following writer(s) to figure out how to pull them through, just to put them into another sticky-wicket before handing it off to next.

One issue writer would also sorta-kinda handcuff the next by actually naming the subsequent chapter.  The main rule of this endeavor was that the creators couldn't cheat, by claiming what happened in a prior chapter was a dream, or an illusion, or a hallucination.  They actually had to logically (insofar as comics logic, I suppose) come through with a solution that fits the narrative and moves the story forward.  Fans were also encouraged to make their own guesses at how the story was going to pan out the the point that the tag-line of the event was "Can You Solve it Before We Do?"

The timing of this piece is also actually relevant, as DC Comics is moving into Rebirth-mode, and making all sorts of exciting new announcements... including a spiritual successor to the DC Challenge in the Kamandi Challenge.  There's really no better (or apropos) time to dive into challenge mode here.

The whole shebang sounds like a fun read, no?  Well, let's find out...

--

Our story begins with young copy boy, Floyd Perkins wandering the halls of the Daily Planet building.  He's been around for a spell, however, feels helplessly lost.  He exits an elevator that deposits him on a floor he'd never known before.  He wanders further until he finally hears some voices coming from an office with a cracked door.  With all the grace of an elephant on a lily pad, he stumbles into the room.  Inside he finds a weird group of people including an incredibly strange pointy-eared fellow who tells him he'd best beat a hasty retreat.  As he bolts to the elevator he appears to run into Humphrey Bogart who nonchalantly asks if he's got "a light" for his cigarette.

On the streets of Metropolis Superman is embroiled in combat with a demon that had been released from the body of a fallen man.  As they fight, Jimmy Olsen looks on... alongside Groucho Marx.

I didn't even know he was sick!

Superman is on the ropes as the demon takes the upper hand in their struggle.  Superman suddenly hears a disembodied voice that pleads with him to somehow lower the air pressure around the demon.  Superman takes the advice, and begins flying around the demon in tight circles until it retreats back into the fallen man's body.

Superman picks up the man, and flies him to Gotham City... which is apparently world-famous for the quality of their iron lungs.  The Gotham doctor tells Superman that the fella is named James Hoyt.  Rather than go to the Metropolis Police Department, Clark Kent pays Commissioner Gordon a visit to see if he knows what's what.  The Commish regretfully informs Kent that Mr. Hoyt was a small-time crook who has been dead for a couple decades.

"He was dead... the whole time!!!"

At Wayne Manor, an unsolicited BetaMAX tape is dropped off.  Bruce is pleased it's a Beta and not a VHS (afraid you got some bad news comin', Bruce).  Alfred offers that it may be one of "those" movies, to which Bruce claims never to have seen one.  Hmm... Not even the Superman/Big Barda one?  C'Mon...

Wishful thinking, Alfie?

They pop the tape in, and find that the Riddler is the star of this film.  He comes right out and says that he knows Bruce Wayne is Batman (ruh roh), and gives him a riddle about (K)nights that leads him to the... Gotham Museum of Knighthood.

Inside Batman observes a petty crook trying to make off with a strange stone tablet.  Batman ain't gonna let that fly, and the two tangle for a bit.  Batman interrogates the man for information on the Riddler's whereabouts, however, the crook says he's working for Adam Strange.  Surprised, Batman turns around and finds yet another riddle.

Superman heads up to the Justice League Satellite to do some research on the JLA Computer in regard to the demon he'd fought.  He is surprised to find that the Satellite is empty, and comments that it was Aquaman's "turn of duty".  After randomly and repeatedly mashing down keys, Superman discovers some connection between the demon and the Moon... and off he goes.

This is what I look like updating the blog...

On the Moon, Superman discovers an odd machine (or maybe it's a robot... I dunno) that appears to be powered by red sunlight.  He is approached from behind by a familiar (though, unseen to the reader) foe, and is zapped with a red beam that puts him out of commission.

Back on Earth, Jimmy Olsen and Floyd the copy-boy are comparing stories about the weird things they'd just seen.  They decide to tour the building to find the strange floor from the story's open without any success.  Back in the Daily Planet offices, the boys find Perry White arguing with a blonde man who is desperately seeking Superman.  He is Adam Strange... and Perry couldn't care less.  He kicks ol' Adam out like he would any other bum.

He said good day, Jimmy...

In Washington DC, Steve Trevor and Diana Prince are being briefed on a stolen nuclear device that is no larger than a paperback book.  The pair head out, and Diana promises to "contact" Wonder Woman.  I'm not sure if Trevor was privy to Wondy's secret ID at this point (or ever, if I'm being honest)... but we'll just go with it.

Smooth, Trevor... Real Smooth...

Wonder Woman meets with the creator of the nuclear device when he suddenly collapses and releases a demon of his own.  The two engage in battle, and Wonder Woman gets completely wrecked.  As the beast flees, Wonder Woman gives chase in her robot plane, which by the looks of it is driven kind of like a car on the Flintstones.

I know next to nothing (okay, nothing) about Wonder Woman...
Did her feet always dangle from the invisible jet?

Back in Gotham City, at Arkha... Gotham Penitentiary, Batman is looking for information on the Riddler.  He is advised that the Riddler never escaped, and he's still in his cell.  Lucky for Batman, as he is apparently stumped by the latest riddle... Wait, really?  Okay... well, he tells the riddle to the Riddler, who gives him the answer... sending Batman to the Gotham City Power Plant.  I think I wrote "riddle" in this paragraph 45 times (46 now).

Hiya, Riddler???

At the Plant, Batman runs afoul of the same pointy-eared oddball from the Daily Planet's phantom floor.  He's wearing a turban now, but I'm pretty sure it's him.  Batman chases the creep down, and is shown a list of numbers that had been scrawled on a nearby wall.  Batman asks what it all means, but the weirdo refuses to answer... it won't matter anyway, as they're all gonna die in a nuclear blast!

He tells the Bat that the tape sent to Wayne Manor is the detonator for a bomb that will take out half of Gotham City... which should happen in, oh, about eight more seconds.  We are... [to be continued...]

The issue closed with a two-page text piece about the DC Challenge concept.

--

Well, I guess that was a thing.

Overall, I did not find myself enjoying this nearly as much as I thought/hoped I would.  The entire endeavor seems to be far more entertaining to the creators than to the readers.  I'm not really a fan of other peoples inside jokes, and I kind of felt like I was reading an interoffice memorandum with some winks and nudges.  I can see why and how this would be an interesting concept to pursue, and perhaps (hopefully) it gets better as it moves along.  I do have a few more issues of this kicking around the library so maybe we'll find out.

The writing was okay.  I think being the first chapter of this experimental title may have perhaps facilitated all of the wackiness and randomness this issue featured.  I am somewhat interested in how they'll work their way out of Batman's secret ID being out there... Although, I'm really not sure if this event is anywhere near the contemporary-at-the-time continuity.  Gene Colan's art was what could be expected.  It was very nice and in my opinion, the bright spot in this issue.

Really not a whole lot to say here.  It feels almost unfair to judge it by merits of its story... because, I'm not even sure that's what they were going for.  Like I said, this almost feels like it's more for the DC Staffers than DC Readers... this is a writers-workshop exercise.  Those are always fun to take part in, however, if you're not involved with the creative process (or don't have any stake in those that are) it's just not that compelling a read.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the upcoming Kamandi Challenge will be better, and that reader interest/engagement/entertainment is at the paramount rather than how much fun the creators are having nudging and prodding one another.  With the ubiquitous nature of social media, we will now have a front row seat to the creators discussing how they're going to "stick it to" the next guy or gal on the list... I'm just not sure how much fun for those "outside the loop" this is all going to be.

--

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