1970's Flashback: Luke Cage

Can you dig it?

Luke Cage [who later became known as Power Man] was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (June 1972). The streetwise young Cage was sent to prison for a crime that he didn’t commit. After his strict law-abiding father died thinking his son a criminal, Luke Cage underwent an experimental procedure that granted him titanium-hard skin and superstrength. Cleared of his crime, he became a “Hero for Hire,” although he was always forced by conscience not to take any money for his deeds.

Luke Cage was one of the first African-American superheroes to headline a comic book series, and therefore was a groundbreaking, but controversial hero. Being Marvel's entry into the 1970s blaxploitation trend, the character sported a stereotypically streetwise tongue, including his famous catch phrase "Sweet Christmas!"

Cage’s powers include: superhuman strength, stamina and durability, and an accelerated healing factor. Cage is also a skilled street fighter.

1970's Flashback: The Shadow

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

The Shadow was created by Walter B. Gibson in 1931 with the first story entitled "The Living Shadow". One of the most famous of the pulp heroes of the 1930s and 1940s, The Shadow achieved even greater fame through a popular radio series where he was originally voiced by actor Orson Welles, The Shadow has been featured in comic books, television, and at least seven motion pictures. However, The Shadow is best regarded for its early radio years, in which pulp crime fiction received its most compelling broadcast interpretation.

The subject of this Flashback and the most acclaimed comic book depiction of the character was the 1970's The Shadow comic written by Denny O'Neil and drawn initially by Mike Kaluta (issues 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6), which was published by DC Comics. The O'Neal/Kaluta issues have been collected as The Private Files of The Shadow.

Moody, atmospheric and perfectly capturing the look and feel of the 1930's era, The Shadow was a high-water mark for 70's era comics. Issue 11, guest-starred another classic pulp-fiction character The Avenger (whose adventures also appeared from DC Comics for a brief period during the same decade).

The Bottom Line = Nexus

Nexus is a terrific comic by writer Mike Baron and artist Steve Rude about troubled intergalactic assassin Horatio Hellpop, who is driven to execute criminals by a higher power (and somewhat against his will).

The series first appeared in the late 1980's and has jumped from publisher to publisher over the intervening years. Nexus has been justifiably critically acclaimed and earned true cult status among many comics fans.

Now, after a decade long break, Nexus has recently returned with a new issue which was its 99th in chronological order. As of today, the comics world has been informed that the 100th issue will be delayed and resolicited for January 2008.

I'm so sorry, but that is BULLSHIT!

I've been a fan of this series from its inception and followed it on its bouncing ball trajectory existence. The Dude wants to pass off the delay as being due to his "perfectionism" , perhaps a better description would be lack of professionalism.

Steve Rude counts Jack Kirby as one of his artistic idols. Jack turned out tons of work over the course of his career and it was always entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I've met the Dude at cons, I think he's a nice guy, but he's no Jack Kirby and I'm done with Nexus. The latest issue just didn't grab me after the extended hiatus and this latest tactic has eroded my support for the team of Baron, Rude & Hellpop.

That's too,bad!

1970's Flashback: Doc Savage Magazine

Doc Savage was a a popular action hero whose adventures where originally published in pulp-digest format back in the 1930's, but Marvel Comics (capitalizing on Bantam Books popular paperbacks that were reprinting The Man of Bronze's old stories for a new generation) published an 8-issue standard-size comic book series in 1972 that also basically adapted several of Doc Savage's pulp adventures.

However after that short-lived series was cancelled, and in the wake of the George Pal motion picture Doc Savage starring former TV Tarzan Ron Ely, Marvel tried Doc out again - this time in their innovative black & white magazine line. Doc Savage (Vol. 2) began in 1975 by writer Doug Moench and artist Tony DeZuniga; although artists John Buscema, Marie Severin, Val Mayerick and Ernie Chan contributed some work.

This series was truly a tour-de-force effort, featuring all-new Doc stories that were done with a pulp flavor, yet still retained a very modern sensibility.

Issue #1's The Doom on Thunder Isle was particularly poignant in its treatment of one secondary characters fate. Despite the quality of this larger format offering, Doc Savage magazine was also cancelled with its eighth issue, but it was a terrific run while it lasted.

1970's Flashback: Killraven

Killraven was first introduced in Marvel Comics "War of the Worlds" feature which ran in Amazing Adventures, starting with its 18th issue (May 1973), and continuing until the title ended [#39].

Writer Roy Thomas and artist Neal Adams created the first story (loosely based on H.G. Wells science-fiction classic), but others took over the book, with writer Don McGregor and artist P. Craig Russell handling more issues together than any other creative team.

Jonathan Raven, was an Earth man who was raised as a gladiator under Martian rule, and forced to fight against other humans for the Martians' amusement, under the name "Killraven". As punishment for trying to escape, he was handed over to a collaborating human-scientist named Whitman, for experimentation. Unknown to the Martians, Whitman was secretly working against his masters, and his "experiments" greatly enhanced Killraven's physical strength and endurance, and also gave him minor psychic powers to protect him from the Martians. After Killraven escaped for good, he dedicated himself to leading an active resistance and was quickly joined by a group of freedom fighters, who called themselves “The Freemen.”

1970's Flashback: Deathlok

Deathlok the Demolisher, a cyborg super-hero, created by artist Rich Buckler and writer Doug Moench, first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 (Aug. 1974).

Colonel Luther Manning was a soldier from Detroit, Michigan who, after being horrifically injured, awakens physically tranformed into the experimental Deathlok-Cyborg in a post-apocalyptic future. There, Manning battles the evil corporate and military regimes that have taken over the United States, while simultaneously struggling not to lose his humanity. He encountered Spider-Man and Captain America in various time travel journeys, and eventually overthrew the megalomaniac who had taken over the country. Following a multi-issue run in Astonishing, Manning remained in his near-future alternate reality, searching for a purpose in life and unable to disconnect himself from the machine elements that were bonded to him.

Deathlok the Demolisher possesses super-human speed, strength and reflexes, an ability to repair bodily damage and due to his technological components he has the ability to track multiple objects, making him an effective killing machine.

1970's Flashback: The Eternals

I told you that I'd be getting back to a Marvel Comics title this week!

Created by Jack Kirby, after he rebounded to the House of Ideas following his stint at the Distinguished Competition, The Eternals made their first appearance in July 1976. They are an offshoot of humanity created by the god-like, alien Celestials, and wage war against their counterparts, the Deviants.

The Eternals saga was thematically similar to Kirby's DC Comics epic The New Gods, but like that series, the Eternals was also eventually cancelled without resolving many of its plots, most particularly the Celestials' impending judgment over humanity. Kirby was at least partially inspired by Erich von Däniken's book Chariots of the Gods, a debunked 1968 non-fiction best-seller, which postulated that ancient aliens gave advanced knowledge to early humans, and were then worshipped as gods.

The Eternals were not originally intended to be part of the normal Marvel canon. However, in issue #15, they battle against an Incredible Hulk-robot (imbued with cosmic powers), and at a subsequent press conference held by New York police questions of whether or not "Doctor Doom and Thor are fighting too" ended that slant, fueling other Marvel Universe story lines that incorporated the series various characters.

Due to the cosmic energy that suffuses an Eternal's body and the nigh-unbreakable mental hold they hold over their bodily processes, the Eternals of Earth are effectively immortal. They live for millennia, do not fatigue from physical exertion, are immune to disease and poison, and unaffected by environmental extremes of cold, heat. Most cannot be injured by conventional weaponry, and even if they are, an Eternal can rapidly regenerate any damage as long as they're able to retain their mental hold over their bodies. The only way to permanently kill an Eternal is to inflict enough damage to spread a significant portion of their body over a wide area.

All Eternals are also superhumanly strong. The limits of their strength can be increased as a result of years of focusing some of their energy towards that purpose.
This same cosmic energy can be channeled for a number of superhuman abilities. All Eternals can:
Project damaging blasts and/or blinding flashes of energy from their eyes and hands.

Fly (and levitate others.)
Read minds.
Generate illusions.
Teleport vast distances, though doing so leaves most Eternals momentarily fatigued or dazed.
Transmute objects, altering both their shape and composition. This ability is very taxing to most Eternals.

Some Eternals choose to focus on a particular power in order to increased their effectiveness with it.Sersi, for example, has developed the power of transmutation farther than any other Eternal. Additionally, some Eternals choose to focus their cosmic energies into other, non-standard abilities. Ikaris, for example, channels cosmic energy to greatly enhance his senses, while the Interloper uses his to generate fear in others, and Makkari uses his cosmic energies for superspeed.

From the Dust Bin: The Grim Reaper

This two page spread comes from Wonder Comics #13 and features Nedor Comics The Grim Reaper, who first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, Feb.1944, and then moved on to become the cover feature of Wonder Comics, beginning with #1 May, 1944. His origin story was told in Wonder Comics #2 and he continued until Wonder Comics #17; with a single additional appearance in America’s Biggest Comics Book #1.

Bill Norris didn’t have any super-powers, but he used guns and a short sword to battle against America’s war-time enemies, gangsters and other criminals.

1970's Flashback: Omac

I promise that we will get back to some Marvel Flashbacks this very week, but first lets take a quick look at Jack Kirby's One Man Army Corps.

The series Omac (Sept./Oct. 1974) is set in the near future of "the world that's coming", OMAC himself is corporate nobody Buddy Blank who is changed by an A.I. satellite named Brother Eye into the super-powered OMAC.
OMAC works for the Global Peace Agency, a group of faceless people who police the entire world using pacifistic weapons. The world power balance is too dangerous for large armies, so OMAC is used as the muscle for the Global Peace Agency. OMAC only lasted for eight issues before being summarily cancelled prior to the story lines completion. The original character has appeared infrequently since then, but a revised version is currently utilized in the DC Universe.

1970's Flashback: The New Gods

The lynch pin of Jack Kirby's magnum opus, Fourth World saga was DC Comics The New Gods #1 which appeared in February 1971. Encompassing The Forever People, Mister Miracle, and strangely enough Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen; The New Gods presented adventures of the warring citizens of the planets New Genesis and Apokolips who call themselves Gods and live outside of normal time and space in a realm called the Fourth World. These New Gods have evolved due to their close proximity to the Source (a primeval form of energy), believed to be one of the ultimate foundations of the universal expression of energy. Along with their superior technology, genetic stability and evolutionary perfection, the denizens of New Genesis and Apokolips are immortal, stronger, faster, and smarter than humans, despite their resemblance.

New Genesis and Apokolips were originally part of the same world [a planet called Urgrund] which was split apart millennia ago following the death of the old gods during Ragnarok. New Genesis is an idyllic world with unspoiled forests, mountains, and rivers which is governed by the benevolent Highfather, while Apokolips is a nightmarish, ruined dystopia filled with machinery and massive fire pits which is ruled by the tyrannic Darkseid.

The New Gods are vulnerable to an unknown substance called Radion whose effects are toxic in sustained amounts or after explosive exposure. The average New God can even be slain by an application of Radion from a blaster or bomb.

The most prominent character of the New Gods rather large cast was Orion, the second son of Darkseid and half brother of Kalibak whose fighting skill and stamina have earned him the nickname "The Dog of War". As the result of a treaty between the two worlds, Orion was raised as the son of Highfather, where he was taught to control his anger, not an easy task given that his heritage boiled with the rage of the brutal and merciless Darkseid. Learning how to control this dark nature consumed much of Orion's youth, but friends among the New Gods (such as Metron & Lightray) helped him redirect his anger and he became the most powerful warrior either world had ever known.

[There is even more Jack Kirby goodness to come, as a single week is insufficient to encompass the entirety of the King of Comics 1970's output. Up next: Omac!]

Cat-Scratch Fever!

Julie Newmar! Lee Meriwether! Michelle Pfeiffer!

Um, Catwoman ... Catwoman ... Catwoman.

Oh, all right! Eartha Kitt! Catwoman.

Halle Berry starred in the motion picture Catwoman in 2004. That's absolutely the nicest thing that can be said about that film. In other words, if you can't say something nice - don't say anything at all.

Why Berry (aided by the films director) felt the need to pattern herself after Eartha Kitt is beyond me. Kitt made only three appearances as Catwoman during the third season of televisions Batman series in the 1960's, while Newmar was shooting the western McKenna's Gold, and visually Berry's Catwoman had much more in common with Pfeiffer's ragamuffin take on the character anyway.

Had Halle really wanted to channel another black super heroine [she also appeared as the mutant Storm in the X-Men movies], then why didn't she & the producers just option another DC Comics property: The Vixen? That character was similar to Catwoman in many respects, was african-american and even wears a similar hairstyle to the one sported by Berry in her own ultimately poor Catwoman feature. Beats the hell out of me!

By the way, neither Pfeiffer or Kitt really suit my tastes as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and although former Miss America Meriwether was truly lovely (she only made as single appearance as Catwoman; in the 1966 film that starred TVs Dynamic Duo Adam West & Burt Ward), Julie Newmar owns the role ..... hands down.

No sexier feline has ever squeezed into the skin-tight costume of Catwoman than Ms. Newmar. Now if only American Movie Classics would stop showing Halle Berry's Catwoman all the damn time.

1970's Flashback: Mister Miracle

Like the previously profiled Forever People, Mister Miracle (issue #1; April 1971) was one of four series in Jack Kirby's ambitious Fourth World saga. Supposedly, the character was inspired by the early illusionist career of noted comic book artist Jim Steranko.

Scott Free is the son of Izaya (Highfather of the New Gods), ruler of New Genesis and his wife Avia. As part of a diplomatic accord aimed at preventing a destructive war against the planet Apokolips, Highfather agreed to exchange heirs with the galactic tyrant Darkseid; the exchange guaranteed that neither side would attack the other and so Scott swapped places with Darkseid's second born son Orion. Scott was raised in one of Granny Goodness' infamous "Terror Orphanages" without any knowledge of his own heritage. Scott eventually rebelled against the totalitarian ideology of Apokolips, and suffered bouts of self-loathing due to his "inability" to fit in. He was later influenced by Metron to imagine a future beyond Darkseid. Scott joined with a small band of pupils who were secretly tutored by the rebel Himon, a New Genesian living on Apokolips. This was where he met fellow pupil Big Barda, who would later become his wife.

Eventually, Scott Free escaped Apokolips and fled to Earth. This escape, long anticipated and planned for by Darkseid, nullified the peace accord between Darkseid and Highfather and gave Darkseid the excuse he needed to revive the war with New Genesis. On Earth, Scott became the protégé of a circus escape artist, Thaddeus Brown, whose stage name was Mister Miracle. Brown was very impressed with Scott's skills (supplemented with various advanced technological devices he had taken from Apokolips). Scott befriended Brown's assistant, a dwarf named Oberon. When Thaddeus Brown was murdered, Scott Free assumed the heroic identity of Mister Miracle. Barda later followed Scott to Earth, and the two used their powers, equipment, and skills in the war against Darkseid. Eventually, Scott returned to Apokolips and won his freedom by legal means, through trial by combat.

Aided by magic-level technology and his own physical prowess, Scott Free/Mr. Miracle is an incredible escape-artist.