Dark Claw Adventures #1 (June, 1997)
"Face to Face"
Writer/Breakdowns - Ty Templeton
Finishes - Rick Burchett
Colors - Linda Medley
Letters - Tim Harkins
Associate Editor - Darren Vincenzo
Editor - Scott Peterson
Special Thanks - Dan Slott
Cover Price: $1.95
We've brushed up against the Marvel/DC co-promotions of the late-1990's from time to time here at the ol' blogstead... but never actually discussed an honest to goodness Amalgam comic.
And there's a reason for that...
I wasn't (and I'm still not) a fan of 'em! We'll ramble on about why in the "down below"... but, for now... heeeeeeeere's Dark Claw!
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We open with Patch Malone taking in his weekly poker game with a bunch of nogoodniks. He doesn't get to play long as he's approached by a pair of Cyber-Ninja Assassins... and before we know it, a fight is on. During the fracas, Logan is shot in the shoulder... however, he manages to win the day. Ya see, Dark Claw ain't no killer... but since these creeps are mostly-machine, he doesn't have to worry so much about holding back.
After taking care of business, he heads outside where his Clawmobile (don't call it that!) is waiting for him. In the driver's seat is, Sparrow... an amalgamation of Robin and Jubilee.
As the heroes take off into the night, we can see that their progress is being tracked by a woman called Lady Talia, an amalgamation of Lady Deathstrike and Talia al Ghul. Ya see, she's ticked off at Logan for the murder of her father... wait for it... Ra's-a-pocalypse.
We flash back to a desert duel between Logan and Ra's... that has something to do with a scorpion, but it's not really clear exactly what. Anyhoo, while Ra's-a-pocalypse makes his exit via jet, Logan grabs a conveniently-placed bazooka... and blasts the baddie out of the sky.
While Lady Talia admires her new Adamantium limbs, we shift scenes over to "The Burrow", which is, naturally, kinda like Dark Claw's Batcave. One neat touch is, instead of the giant penny, there's a giant Canadian Nickel.
Logan deduces that it's Lady Talia who's after him, and suits up for action. In order to prepare for battle, he initiates a training sequence in the Danger Cave, an amalgamation of... oh, you know. He faces off against the Two-Faced Goblin (Harvey Osborn), Cybercroc (Cyber + Killer Croc), Bloodcrow (Bloodscream + Scarecrow), Spiral Harley (oh, c'mon), and the Omega Beast (Omega Red + K.G.Beast).
Suddenly, the lights turn out. Dark Claw assumes that this is just the next stage of his training... that Sparrow kicked it up a notch... but, no... it's Talia. She claims that she knows him well enough to use his secrets in order to find him. As the wrestle around, Dark Claw pleads with her to cool off... Ra's gave him no choice but to kill him.
Finally, she backs off long enough for him to plead his case. He begs her to control herself, and expresses how important she is to him. Then he holds his hands out, and tells her that whatever her next move might be... he's not going to stop her. And so, she guts him!
As Logan lay dying, Talia heads over to Sparrow... she chooses to spare her, as she's nothing more than an innocent.
In her final act, Lady Talia decides she'll plunge her claws into her own heart... the only part of her that she still considers human. Before she does so, however, she soliloquizes about how much she regrets everything that's gone on between she and Logan over the past few years... and what she wouldn't do to have him back with her now. Uh, lady, are you really forgetting about the healing factor?!
Oh course dude ain't really dead. Talia rushes to his side, and they make nice.
Unfortunately, nobody ever untied Sparrow. Some say she's still there to this day.
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You familiar with "strain theory"? For a quick 'n dirty, it's a sociological concept having to do with why crimes might be committed... has to do with classism and racism, and it's predicated on the assumption/perception that resources (material/tasks/opportunities/capital) are limited. The "strain" is on resources, which leads folks to do whatever they can (legal or not) to get those resources. Ya follow?
Now, to completely bastardize and trivialize the subject, I can't help but consider talented creators and popular characters to be (relatively) limited "resources". I look back at the late-90's as a very small window where Marvel and DC were willing to "play nice" and put equal amounts of "skin" in the game in order to create something special. And what we get... is this.
Naturally, I'm not talking about crimes being committed or anything... but, look at the "resources": the talent involved in Amalgam... and look at the wonderful characters. This is really the best we can do? We get all the big brains at Marvel and DC together in a room, and "Hey, let's just mash 'em up!" is the best idea that comes out of it?
Amalgam Comics, while perhaps still to this day a novelty to some, and I'm only speaking for myself here, just reeks to me of a missed opportunity. Nothing more than a throwaway to fill a Fifth-Week, when (theoretically) any other kind of Marvel and DC co-promotion could've meant so much more. I mean, this looks like it took the same amount of care as Marvel Mangaverse... or Marvels Comics... just low-effort fluff. Time and shelf-filler... the fulfillment of a contract.
I compare it now to the DC/Looney Tunes or DC/Hanna-Barbera crossovers. Meaningless books that occupy creators and shelf-space that could be better used. I'll concede that they make for really good "retweet bait", but really... to me, with the "limited resources" we have, it's such misdirected effort. Heck, maybe I'm just "anti-fun". I've been accused of that a time or two.
With all that being said... it's hard to be objective about something like Dark Claw Adventures. For what it is, it's a "funny, ha-ha", and not much more. The art is strong, and (naturally) evokes the Batman: The Animated Series style well enough. People who aren't me, might get a giggle or two out of it.
Unfortunately, all I can do when I look at the Amalgam Age of Comics, is think: What could'a been. Of course, I'm coming at this as just a fan... I don't know what the legalities were, or the logistics of "reprint rights" or anything like that... but, speaking as "just a fan", I know I wanted something more special than this.
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Adventures of Superman #424 (January, 1987)
"Man O' War!"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Pencils - Jerry Ordway
Inks - Mike Machlan
Letters - John Costanza
Colors - Tom Ziuko
Editor - Andy Helfer
Cover Price: $0.75
Yesterday we discussed Superman (vol.2) #1... so I sez to myself, "Self, mebbe we ought to talk about that other Superman book coming out at the time."
If you read yesterday's piece, you'll know that one of my sole... well, not so much "complaint", but maybe "neutral observation" regarding Superman #1 was that it didn't feel like a real "#1" issue. I didn't mention it yesterday, but the cover for that issue (while I like it) didn't really feel like the start of a whole new volume either!
This issue, on the other hand, has a spectacular cover... totally worthy of ushering in a whole new direction. Let's see how the insides hold up.
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We open with the Lane family... that is Sam, Lois, and Lucy huddled around the hospital bed of Lois' mother, Elinore. Having been in an accident, she's in a pretty bad way... and it doesn't look like she's going to make it. There's definitely some tension between Lois and Sam... might be due to the fact that Lois addresses her folks by their first name. I know that would grind on my gears too! Meanwhile across town, a meeting of distinguished fellows regarding oil ends poorly... and so, a Quraci representative excuses himself... and blows up the building.
We shift scenes over to the Daily Planet, where Clark Kent has a chance meeting with a beautiful blonde woman. He "oafs" if up a bit, getting his foot caught in an elevator door... and when she helps wriggle him free, he winds up on top of her. If Kelly Kapoor can be trusted, I think the kids today would call that a "meet cute". If I ever use that term again, please shoot me.
Later that morning, Lois and Clark are called into Perry White office, where they meet the newest member of the Daily Planet staff... it's that same blonde Clark just went ass-over-teakettle for, Catherine Grant!
During this meet and greet, Clark gets a call from a Gunderson asking if he might be able to contact Superman. Before this goes anywhere, however, Cat swoops in and suggest the two of them grab lunch at the Cossak Tea Room... I hear their $30 cup of soup is to die for! This leaves Perry and Lois alone in the office... the Chief asks how Lois' mother is doing... but she ain't in the mood to chat.
On their way to a very pricey lunch, Lois and Cat drive by that building that was blowed up earlier in the issue. They hop out of the car and try and take a look around. An Officer shows them a note found at the scene, wherein an outfit called the Freedom League takes full credit for the boom. Clark uses his x-ray vision to scan the wreckage, and suggests that the First Responders keep digging for survivors.
As Clark and Cat hop back in the car, the former uses his telescopic vision to try and get a better read on the situation. He can see "grappler marks" on some of the stone, which tells him this wasn't an ordinary explosion. Speaking of explosions... City Hall is next!
A giant tank burrows from out of the ground and attempts to blast right through City Hall. A note wafting across the foreground implicates that Freedom League again. They seem really annoyed at America.
We return to Clark and Cat who are following up on a fellow in Suicide Slum. It's Professor Emil Hamilton, a sci-guy who was shunned and discredited by the United States Government. Ya see, he's got this invention that we's sure will keep the country safe... it's a force-field of sorts, which he demonstrates on Clark. Clark is shocked at the strength of the thing... even with his super-strength he is unable to break out. Then, Emil pulls out a gun and fires it directly into the field... which further proves its strength (good thing it didn't ricochet!).
While Cat and Emil chat, Clark overhears everything that's going down at City Hall... and so, he makes a hasty exit. Cat doesn't even notice until he's already gone. After "suping up" he rushes right in to punch up that tank. This doesn't go so well.
Inside the tank, we meet a bunch of Freedom League members. It's heavily implied (but not said outright) that these folks are on a suicide mission. They might not be expecting to come out the other end of this.
Superman continues to fight the tank... until it runs him over!
We shift back over to Lois, who is on the phone with her sister. Lucy is pretty frantic about what's going on with their mother... and Lois fears that if the worst comes to be, Lucy won't be able to get through it. As she leaves the Daily Planet Building, she is ushered forced into a Town Car by one of Lex Luthor's goons chauffeurs.
Back at City Hall, Superman pulls himself up out of the wreckage (seems to do that a lot post-Man of Steel). Before heading back over for Round Two with the tank, he pulls a survivor out of the debris.
After saving the Officer, Superman heads over to the Metropolis Police Department to chat up Inspector Henderson. It's there that he learns that the Freedom League is likely tied up with the Qaraci Government. He heads back out into the fray... somehow convinced that Lex Luthor is actually the one behind this. Seems our Man of Steel has himself a bit of a fixation.
Back to Lois. She's loaded into one of LexCorp's jets where she is met by a waiting Lex Luthor. He offers her champagne, and suggests that by the end of this chat, they might become friends.
Ya see, the accident Elinore Lane was in happened at a LexCorp subsidiary... a branch of LexCorp Mistuh Luthuh himself didn't even realize he owned! He feels, in part, responsible for what went down... and so, at his own expense, enlisted the aid of some top scientists to concoct a serum to keep Lois' mother alive and kickin'. Only catch is, she's gotta come to Lex once a month for the dose. Lois begrudgingly decides to have dinner with the man so they can talk out the particulars.
Back on the street, Superman continues fighting the tank... until other bits and pieces of terroristic tech show up... combine with the tank, and become like this giant mechanical hybrid of a grasshopper and scorpion?
We wrap up back with Lex Luthor, who is celebrating his "victory" over Lois Lane. Ya see, not only did Luthor know about the accident that nearly claimed Elinore Lane... he was responsible for it! He knew Lois would need him to come up with a cure... and, get this, the cure could have been administered in a single dose... but where's the fun in that?
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I tell ya what... they sure didn't skimp for story back in the 1980's! A story like this would take 4-6 months to tell nowadays... and would still wrap up with a non-ending! I really enjoyed the issue... though, like its "sister book", Superman (vol.2), it doesn't feel much like a "first issue". I mean, it's not a "#1", but still...
If you're a new reader to the Superman family of titles and were maybe lured in by the cover (it's certainly a strong enough cover to do so!), and didn't know to pick up Man of Steel, you're probably going to feel a bit lost. Whereas the Byrne book might've gone overboard with the exposition... this one may not have given us enough. I'm sure there could've been a happier medium between the two.
I've never been a fan of the Qarac stuff that seemed to worm its way into so many post-Crisis DC books. I get that they're going for a "real world" sort of thing, but really, I'd rather a more fantastical threat...
Speaking of threats... they sure did power Superman way down, didn't they? I mean, he's getting beaten up by everything in these early issues! I've read that one of the complaints about this era was the "Marvelization" of Superman... they reduction of his powers to make him feel more fallible. I don't have a problem with that... though, I could see why some might.
Keeping the threats coming... Lex Luthor.
Before we look deeper into him, I wanna talk about Superman assuming he's the "big bad" behind everything. I mean, it's only the once so far, but it just feels a bit silly. Inspector Henderson suggests that Qarac is (secretly) behind the bombings... but Superman is still sure it's Luthor. Not sure if any of you remember A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, that show where the Scooby Gang are all little kids? I don't remember much about it... but I do recall that anytime anything would happen, Fred would insist that a kid named "Red Herring" (get it?) was behind it. Of course, he never would be... but Fred just wouldn't give it up. I got definite "Red Herring" vibes from Superman's insistence here.
Now, Lex's plan to get a "win" over (and to "win over") Lois. It's a really good look at what a slimeball Lex is... and how he isn't above using people as pawns to get what he wants. The "accident" he orchestrated could've very easily resulted in Elinore's immediate death... but that didn't matter to him, so long as there was a chance he'd be able to get Lois under his thumb (to say the least). I like this Lex... sometimes a "heel" has just got to be a heel.
The art here is great. Love that Jerry Ordway was given the opportunity to be a part of this launch, he never disappoints! My only minor quibble (which has nothing to do with the quality of the art) is that his Lois looks different from Byrne's. What I mean is, they have completely different hairstyles... which, I mean... we're not even a month into this thing, and we've already got conflicting style-guides? Hey, maybe this really is the Marvelization of the DC Universe!
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this. I'd definitely suggest having a bit of familiarity with what went down in Man of Steel before jumping into this one, but even if you don't, I doubt you'd be all that lost here. This issue has been collected in one of those Man of Steel trades, and is available digitally.
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Superman (vol.2) #1 (January, 1987)
"Heart of Stone"
Story & Pencils - John Byrne
Guest Inks - Terry Austin
Letters - John Costanza
Colors - Tom Ziuko
Editor - Andrew Helfer
Cover Price: $0.75
Here's one that's a long time coming... I'm actually a bit surprised we haven't discussed this one before.
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We open with Superman busting through the wall of a lead-lined laboratory in search of his stolen rocket/birthing matrix. This is hot off the heels of Man of Steel, so the whole "strange visitor from another planet" bit is all pretty new to him. For that matter, so is wearing an outfit equipped with a cape. Anyhoo, he continues through the seemingly abandoned lab, until he comes across a whole lot of data... about himself!
He walks around looking at all of the pictures and information regarding him, and uses that as an excuse to mentally expound and drop a whole lotta exposition... f'r instance, in his civilian identity he goes by "Clark Kent"... and he grew up in Smallville... and now works for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Before getting too wrapped up in his own life story, Superman happens across the long-dead body of a scientist. He deduces the fella had his neck snapped, and has been dead for several weeks at this point. After scanning his fingerprints, Superman's more or less convinced that this is the guy behind the Birthing Matrix theft.
Before heading outside, Superman notes the presence of a vat of acid. After grabbing a scoop of the stuff, he observes that there are bits of human bone in the soup.
Realizing he's late for a civvie-situation, and not wanting anyone else to happen across the lab.... Superman just plucks a whole bunch'a Earth around it, and takes it to the Lagrange Point between the Earth and Moon... that's where the gravitational pull between them is equal, and so the lab should stay put while he attends to other matters...
... matters like, going for a jog with Lois Lane! After a quick change of clothes and a lambasting from Lois for being "four minutes late" for their run... they finally get to it. Something I'd forgotten in the years since, Lois and Clark were pretty flirty here! It's kind of Moonlighting-ish, which I suppose makes sense considering the year.
As they jog along, they pass by a bank. Naturally, the bank is being robbed. Well, not so much robbed, but occupied by a big ol' brute with a very stylish rat-tail. Lois' nose-for-news gets the best of her, and she tries to get a closer look. This works out just about as well as you might imagine.
Clark rushes in for the save... but, since he's not in his "work clothes", has to pull his punch. What's more, he has to roll with the punch he receives in return! This allows enough space for Clark to "supe up" and confront his follicly-fashionable foe.
After demanding this guy "unhand that woman", Superman grabs the baddie by the... well, not so much "collar", but the upper portion of his open vest. I tell ya, this dude dresses for success. They say don't dress for the job you have... dress for the one you want. From the looks of it, this fella wants to be Bayou Billy. Anyhoo, shockingly the big guy hurls Superman through a wall!
Superman lunges back in, and Lois runs off looking like she's trying to get to the bathroom before having an accident. I mean, she's really clenched here... or, maybe just she's skating and forgot the wheels, I dunno. She's actually just looking for Clark. When she doesn't find him, she assumes Superman already swooped him away to safety.
The baddie, self-identified as Metallo, continues pummeling Superman... and vows to kill him. Superman, beaten and battered, asks why. This takes us into a neat "split-screen" sort of situation, where we see that Metallo had been working with the scientist from earlier... and by "working with" I mean "was experimented on by".
As Metallo continues to choke Superman out, the police bust in... and unload several shots into the villain's chest!
Lois rushes to Superman's side to check on him. He's certain the threat is over... since he can't detect Metallo's heartbeat. Well, not so fast, kemosabe... Metallo is alive and well, because, ya know... instead of a heart, he's got a hunk of Kryptonite in his chest.
We jump back into flashback mode, and watch as the scientist rants on and on about Superman being an alien invader. He speaks of twenty-eight years prior when he watched a spaceship crash down in Kansas... the very one he'd eventually steal. Along with the ship was a message from Jor-El. From this, the scientist deduced that Superman originally hailed from Krypton... and also, that chunks of his home planet were harmful to him. Where he got that second part, I haven't the foggiest. The Green-K is implanted in Metallo's chest... and, seeing as though he's now powerful enough to kill Superman, Metallo goes on ahead and snaps the Doc's neck.
While Superman and Metallo resume combat, we jump over to the LexCorp Building, where Mistuh Luthuh is brought up to speed on everything going on. He is not pleased to hear that someone else might wind up taking Superman down before he gets the chance.
Back at the bank, the battle brings the house down! Lois tries to head over to check on Superman, but is restrained by the police. From the rubble rises... a less-human-looking Metallo, and he's holding Superman's torn cape!
Superman pulls himself out of the wreckage as well... and drags himself up Metallo's body, which the baddie finds both humorous and pathetic. At this point, Metallo's chest opens... revealing his Kryptonite Heart. Feeling the effects, Superman immediately recoils.
Just when it looks like all hope is lost, Metallo... vanishes?!
Lois rushes by Superman's side, and explains that one second, Metallo was standing there... the next, there was a great big shadow... and then, Metallo was gone! Superman has a sneaking suspicion who might've been behind that...
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I can't remember the last time I even looked at this issue... probably at least twenty years. It feels kinda weird as a "first issue", until you take into account that this could more or less be Man of Steel #7. Not sure what you'd be thinking if you were a long-time fan of the character at this point, and somehow missed out on the status-quo shifting miniseries before reading this. I guess you'd probably be thinking "I'd better track down that status-quo shifting miniseries."
Looking back on this some thirty-something years later, I'm trying to figure out if this was a more staggering change to the Superman-faithful than subsequent reboots/relaunches/new takes. Considering that this sort of thing didn't happen all that often back in the long ago, I figure it probably was. I feel like, as fans today, we're always kinda bracing for the announcement that "everything we know is wrong"... it's just a well the creatively bereft go to a little too often anymore. I'd assume there was definitely more of a novelty to such an endeavor in the mid-late 1980's.
Since Man of Steel, I can think of nearly a half-dozen re-takes on the character... and we've discussed all of 'em here! Heck, I'm sure I'm probably leaving a few out!
- Return to Krypton
- Superman: Birthright
- Superman: Secret Origin
- The New-52!
- Superman Reborn
So yeah... with our jaded and tired 2019 eyes, it might not be so easy to note what a seismic shift this book was to fans of the Silver and Bronze Ages.
It's probably safe to assume that Superman was de-aged a little bit for this. We're given an age of 28... which maybe makes him less of your "dad", and more of your "cool uncle"... which is fine. He's old enough to be considered an "adult" without being seen as "over the hill". Also, 28 in 1987 is probably a tad bit different than 28 in 2019. I think late-20's/early-30's is probably the best age for pre-married Superman.
Speaking of "pre-married", I was almost taken aback by Lois and Clark's awkward sorta-kinda adversarial flirting during their jog. Like I said, it's been forever since I'd read this... but this was something I didn't really recall. I just assumed their relationship started here the same way it always seems to. Wasn't expecting Clark to try and lay on the charm... but was pleased to see that he did!
The art here is classic Byrne, which... to me, Byrne in the 80's was like the prototypical comic book artist. Like the old "dictionary definition" of a comic book artist. Very clean, easy to follow, not over-drawn. His writing... it's pretty wordy. Not a bad thing... and it would likely be enough to keep a kid quiet for a leg of road-trip... but, it's definitely noticeable. Feels like he's competing with Claremont for words-per-page!
I suppose much of the exposition was necessary... however, I feel like it might've been better presented in captions rather than having Superman "think" everything. It just came across as pretty clunky... not sure anybody thinks so "clunkily".
Overall, this is certainly an important issue, and starts to establish the new status-quo. Like many "first issues" of the day, some of the more interesting (to me) stuff is in the essay that occupies the "letters page" (included below). Lots of neat stuff from Byrne in there... it feels like he was really hankering down for an extended stay with the character! This issue is available digitally... though, if you search for "Superman #1" over at DC Digital, you're going to be searching for awhile!
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(Not the) Letters Page:
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