Review: Agents of Atlas

This review could have been passed off as another of my 1970's Flashbacks, because way back in June 1978 Marvel Comics published What If?#9, in which several heroes from unrelated stories they had previously released back when the company was called Atlas Comics [1950's] gathered to combat some Cold War villains (including an early incursion by alien Skrulls). Gorilla-Man, Marvel Boy, Venus and the Human Robot (currently referred to as M-11) all originally appeared in post WWII publications of Atlas/Marvel. Alongside retro hero 3-D Man [who had first debuted in Marvel Premiere #35-37; 1977] these oddball heroes were presented as an out-of-continuity group of 1950's Avengers.

Skipping ahead to October 2006, these characters were revived in a popular six issue mini-series set both in continuity AND in the present day Marvel Universe. With the exception of the absent 3-D Man, all of the above named characters returned, now joined by FBI agent Jimmy Woo and Sub-Mariner's Atlantean cousin, Namora.

The newly christened Agents of Atlas, reform after having been disbanded following an event involving President Eisenhower in the 1950's. Gorilla-Man, now an agent of the super-spy agency called S.H.I.E.L.D., rescues his aged comrade Jimmy Woo, who was severely injured in a raid on the secretive Atlas Foundation. Gorilla-Man [the former Ken Hale] has recruited team-mates Marvel Boy and M-11 to aid him in restoring Woo to his younger self and they engage what might be their old nemesis the Yellow Claw.

Writer Jeff Parker, and artists Tomm Coker & Leonard Kirk recapture the magic of simpler times and take the reader on a wonderfully fun adventure that plays comfortably with characters and situations from the past, but set firmly within today's modern story structures. Check out Agents of Atlas which is available in a collected trade edition ... asap.

1970's Flashback: Kamandi

Post-apocalyptic futures were all the rage back in the 1970's, both in comics and movies with feature films like Logan's Run, Soylent Green, The Omega Man and several movie sequels to Planet of the Apes, just to name a few.

Jack Kirby crafted one of his most successful post-Marvel series by mining this genre, when he introduced Kamandi #1 in 1972. The Last Boy on Earth's world is set on a future Earth following an event known as "The Great Disaster", where humans are a persecuted minority in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals. The evolved animals who stand on their hind legs and have human-level intelligence and humanoid hands; include gorillas, tigers, dogs, lions, cheetahs, and other mammals. Some animals have not changed their physical appearance but are still intelligent and can speak; including snakes, dolphins and killer whales. Certain previously smaller animals have acquired gigantic size or been mutated in a variety of ways; such as insects and crabs. Horses have not been affected.

Although there are some exceptions, like Kamandi's mutant friend Ben Boxer, most humans in the series do not talk and are dependent upon the intelligent animals. The nature of the "Great Disaster" was never fully explained, but it "had something to do with radiation". In Kamandi # 16 an explanation is given for the talking animals. A gorilla doctor reads the diary of a dead human physician that was written at the time the Great Disaster occurred. As a battle rages between the gorilla and the tiger factions within the ruins of Washington D.C., the gorilla doctor reads about how Dr. Michael Grant invented a chemical called cortexin. The chemical apparently spilled into the water supply, and when the animals ingested it, it gave them greater intelligence. These effects have been passed down to the animals' descendants. Many of the original intelligent animals came from the Washington Zoo. The gorilla doctor successfully recreates this chemical. While he is dying he sees the same effects occur with the formerly animalistic humans; this implies that perhaps humans will someday regain their lost intelligence.

Jack Kirby remained with the series through issue #40, but Kamandi continued until issue #59 (two partially completed additional issues were collected later in DC's Cancelled Comic Cavalcade).

1970's Flashback: The Forever People

The Forever People are a group of adolescent heroes from the planet New Genesis (home of the New Gods; who well take a look at later on) and who oppose the evil Darkseid on our Earth. In addition to having their own individual powers, abilities and super-scientific equipment, the entire group can join together to become the powerful hero known as the Infinity-Man [by using a Mother Box] to handle particularly dangerous threats. The Forever People's method of transportation was a technological device called a "Super-Cycle."

Beautiful Dreamer - Dreamer has psionic powers, with which she can create illusions. She has also been able, like other New Gods, to sense fluctuations within the Source.

Big Bear - Big Bear has superhuman strength and can mentally alter the density of objects. In Forever People vol. 1, #7, he was shown to have been responsible for the historical event that led to the legend of King Arthur.

Mark Moonrider - In addition to his leadership skills, Mark also has a Megaton Touch, which allows him to shoot bolts of energy from his hands.

Serifan – Serifan is the youngest member of the group, and he has no super-powers, making him the most vulnerable. He dresses like a traditional cowboy and always carries "cosmic cartridges" for his six-shooters which possess numerous specific functions. Although all of the cartridges have never been catalogued, those seen in action have uses such as being able to generate an anti-gravitational force, create force-fields and tune the wielder into the "cosmic Harmony" that is linked to the Source.

Vykin – Vykin has magnetic powers which allow him to attract or repel objects of either iron or steel. He also has an innate talent with machines and electronics.

The characters first appeared in their own title, The Forever People (Feb. 1971) which was a part of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World concept. The series lasted eleven issues, but ended on a cliffhanger. In the final issue, the young heroes summoned Infinity-Man, swapping places with him (by jointly touching the Mother Box and shouting “Tarru” - see above) on a distant planet named Adon. Infinity-Man was seemingly destroyed in combat with Devilance the Pursuer, leaving the Forever People stranded there.

1970's Flashback: The Demon

Hey everybody! It's Jack Kirby week, so each day we'll take a look at some very cool titles that the King introduced in the 1970's, starting with a run of classics made after his famous jump from Marvel to DC.

First up is The Demon who first appeared in Sept. 1972, shortly after Kirby's various Fourth World series were cancelled [more on those starting tomorrow]. Etrigan was originally summoned by the wizard Merlin as part of a last-ditch defense of Camelot against the evil witch, Morgana le Fay. When it became clear that the kingdom would fall regardless, Merlin sent the demon away and changed him into an immortal human named Jason Blood to wait until he was summoned.

"Change! Change, O form of man!Release the might from fleshy mire!Boil the blood in heart of fire!Gone! Gone! -- the form of man --Rise, the Demon Etrigan!!"

Centuries later, Jason was called to the crypt of Merlin and discovered a poem that could change him into Etrigan. Unfortunately, he was followed by the long-lived Morgana who lusts for Merlin's secrets. Etrigan/Blood later gained another enemy in Klarion the Witch Boy, a permanently prepubescent mage who creates trouble with his magic.

Etrigan, is an actual demon from Hell who, despite his violent tendencies, usually finds himself allied to the forces of good, primarily because of the alliances between certain heroes of the DC Universe and Jason Blood. Etrigan resembles a squat, muscular human with orange (or yellow) skin, horns, red eyes, and ears resembling bat wings. Jason Blood is a tall, suave man with dark hair and a lined face. The Demons powers include: super-human physical attributes, extrasensory powers, a regenerative healing factor, magical powers, precognition, telepathy,Immortality,and he can project flames of mystical hellfire.

1970's Flashback (Extra): Dave Cockrum & The Legion of Super-Heroes

Hard to believe that Dave Cockrum has been gone for almost a year now, but since it was announced on Newsarama today that legendary writer Jim Shooter will be returning to script new tales of DC Comics The Legion of Super-Heroes [a title that he first penned when he was a mere 14 years old], it got me reminiscing about old Dave and his spiffy 1970's run on Legion. Just prior to his historic work on Marvel Comics X-Men, Cockrum redesigned many of the staid costumes that the youthful Legionnaires had worn since their introduction in Adventure Comics #247 (April 1958).

Cockrum's work made such a splash that it is still being felt today, he even participated in a memorable homage to his Legion work at the "Distinguished Competition" by premiering the Shi'Ar Imperial Guard [a Legion knockoff] in his final issue of X-Men; before being replaced by John Byrne.

I'll happily go on record and state that I truly love Dave Cockrum's work whether it's his X-Men, Blackhawk, Avengers, Futurians or most specifically his wonderful Legion of Super-Heroes. I was most fortunate to see him on two separate occasions when he appeared at Heroescon in Charlotte, NC and prior to his untimely death last year. Dave Cockrum set the bar very high with his Legion stuff and nobody has ever come close to equalling it.

1970's Flashback: Shanna the She-Devil

Shanna the She-Devil was created by Carole Seuling, with Steve Gerber and George Tuska on art, she first appeared in Shanna the She-Devil #1 (Dec. 1972).

Shanna O'Hara was born in Africa to a diamond miner named Gerald O'Hara & his wife Patricia. She spent her childhood in the jungles of Zaire. When Shanna was six, her father accidentally killed her mother while hunting a rogue leopard. This traumatic incident led to Shanna's lifelong crusade against the use of firearms. Following her mothers death, Shanna moved to the United States and grew up to become an accomplished Olympic athlete, specializing in competitive swimming and track and field. She then became a licensed veterinarian.

Shanna began work as a zoologist and she raised many animals, including a female leopard named Julani, who was later killed by a zoo guard. This incident led Shanna to to take Julani's cubs, Ina and Biri, to the Dahomey Reserve in Africa.

Upon returning to Africa, Shanna became more attuned to nature, by patrolling the jungle and living freely in the wildlands. She began wearing nothing else but Julani's fur pelt, to help with the raising of the cubs. In the jungle, Shanna became more at home with herself and her native element, all the while protecting the Dahomey Reserve from poachers as Shanna the She-Devil.

[Inset panel by Tony DeZuniga.]

Next: A full week of Jack Kirby Flashbacks.

1970's Flashback: The Warlord

DC Comics The Warlord was a sword and sorcery series, created by Mike Grell, that debuted in First Issue Special #8, (November 1975) before moving into its own title.

The title of The Warlord comes from the book’s lead character, Travis Morgan, who was given the name during the first few issues as he fought for the freedom of the underground world of Skartaris.

Vietnam veteran & SR-71 pilot Col. Travis Morgan passed through a hole in the earth's crust while flying over the north pole and landed in the hidden realm of Skartaris, a place where dinosaurs roamed and all manner of fantastic peoples and creatures existed. Travis Morgan became the Warlord as he fought villains such as the evil sorcerer Deimos as well as various tyrant kings. He was joined in this endeavor by scantily-dressed female barbarian Tara (who eventually became his wife) and gained various sidekicks including Machiste, Shakira, and his magic-wielding daughter Jennifer Morgan (who also came from the modern world).

A new Warlord series began in 2006 and attempted to reboot the series premise, but it was not a popular or critical success. This version was cancelled after ten issues.

From the Dust Bin: Supermouse

October 1942 proved to be an auspicious month for rodents, as two separate characters calling themselves "Supermouse" appeared, although Standard Comics version was first out of the pack. Paul Terry opted to change his mouse's moniker [after four animated shorts had already been produced] rather than promote someone else's character, so his newly named Mighty Mouse went on to cartoon glory.

Supermouse (aka The Big Cheese) was first introduced in Coo Coo Comics #1. Supermouse was created by noted cartoonist Kin Platt. Together these two equally appealing mice became the first two ongoing funny animal superheroes. Although they may have started under the same name, they were two entirely different characters.

Soupie (as he was often called) had a wife named Mabel and a nephew named Roscoe. His arch-enemy was Terrible Tom, a cat. He got his super powers by eating super cheese (which was made from the milk of a super cow); and quite a few stories, especially in the early days, revolved around others either depriving him of his stash or making use of it themselves.

Supermouse went on to become one of the most successful funny animal superheroes ever to come out of comic books. By the time that Coo Coo Comics fell by the wayside in the early 50's, Soupie had gotten his own self-titled comic where he continued until 1958. It ended only when the company itself (which had published as Standard, Better, Nedor and several others names over the years) finally folded. Now somewhat forgotten, Supermouse definitely earned a permanent place in comics history.

Review: Terra Obscura

Alan Moore will reportedly leave the world of comics behind upon publication of his final League of Extraordinary Gentlemen volume, "The Black Dossier" later this year. Mr. Moore has been widely [and deservedly] hailed as a modern comics master for his superlative writing on such diverse fare as Miracle Man, Swamp Thing, V For Vendetta, Supreme, several notable Superman stories, the above mentioned League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and of course Watchmen. Moore even managed to spawn his own line of comics under the banner of America's Best Comics (lifted from the 1940's Nedor Comics title). Promethea, Top 10, Tomorrow Stories, etc. all earned high praise from Mr. Moore's large fan base, but in his Tom Strong title, Moore again borrowed from the old Nedor company by re-introducing their popular WWII heroes (now in the public domain; and thus free for the taking) to a new generation of readers.

In Tom Strong #11 (Jan. 2001) Moore revealed the location of a parallel Earth, identical to ours but located on the other side of the universe, where the Nedor characters lived, including an analog to Strong himself - Tom Strange (originally known as Doc Strange in the golden age). Tom Strong freed the heroes from decades of suspended animation and together they defeated the alien who had entrapped them. Following this successful relaunch, Moore crafted two separate 6-issue miniseries that continued the tale of these heroes on "Terra Obscura"; as their Earth was known. Co-written by Peter Hogan and wonderfully illustrated by Yanick Paquette, with Karl Story, the 2003 & 2004 series presented new tales of Black Terror, Fighting Yank, Pyroman, Miss Masque and others. My only quibble with these stories [and Moore himself] was in how quickly so many of these classic mystery men were "dispensed" with throughout the 12 issues (now available in trade paperback editions). Some questionable lifestyle choices were foisted on a couple of these venerable characters as well. Still, a terrific reading experience awaits any fan of golden age heroes, pulp-style storytelling, or superheroic adventures in the collected volumes of Terra Obscura.

(Above) The Grim Reaper dies in Terra Obscura (Vol. I) #1.

From the Dust Bin: Dick Devens, King of Futuria

Like my earlier look back at obscure Nedor property [Jill Trent], this science fiction adventurer managed only a handful of appearances before being relegated to the dust bin of comics history. Dick Devens (aka King of Futuria) was featured in Mystery Comics #4 (1944) and also ran in Wonder Comics 11-14 (all in 1947).

I can't tell you much about the character, but the strip apparently featured strong good-girl artwork throughout its brief life. I've searched for more information on this anthology strip, but all that I've managed to locate is this splash page.

1970's Flashback: Son of Satan

The Son of Satan first appeared in Ghost Rider #1 (September 1973), and was then featured in the "Marvel Spotlight" series issues #12–24; before moving on to his own short-lived Son of Satan series.

Daimon Hellstrom was the son of a demon (which called itself Satan) and a mortal woman. Daimon and his sister, Satana, were trained by their father in the art of magic, tapping into the power granted them by their dark heritage. However, while Satana embraced her heritage, Daimon struggled to cling to his humanity. When their mother discovered what her husband really was, she was driven insane. Daimon and Satana were separated and placed in different homes after his mother was institutionalized and his father vanished back to Hell. Daimon grew up in an orphanage, never hearing a word from his father or sister. He became a professor of anthropology at a prestigious university. He then set himself up as an occult investigator and defender of humanity, battling dark arcane forces—primarily those of his father—under the name of the "Son of Satan".

His supernatural powers included; Dark magic,fire projection,the ability to heal others & peak human physical capabilities.

1970's Flashback: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #5 (Aug. 1972). He was created by Gary Friedrich and Mike Ploog.

Johnny Blaze was a daredevil stunt-motorcyclist who spent his early years in the Quentin Carnival where his parents appeared in a stunt show with star Craig "Crash" Simpson.
Blaze’s mother abandoned the family when he was young and his father later died in a stunt, Johnny was then adopted by Crash and Mona Simpson. Crash soon became a father figure to Blaze, and upon learning of Crash's life-threatening cancer, Johnny despondently turned to the occult for answers. His arcane studies led him to a spell which supposedly could summon the devil himself, although Johnny was unaware that he had actually summoned the demon, Mephisto. Desperate to save his adoptive-father, Blaze sold his soul to Mephisto in return for Crash's cancer to be cured.

Crash Simpson's cancer was cured, but he was killed in a stunt-gone-bad; trying to jump over 22 cars. Mephisto was stymied in his attempt to claim Johnny’s soul, when Roxanne Simpson [Crash’s daughter] proclaimed her love for him. However, Blaze was unaware that Mephisto had bonded him with the demon Zarathos as an act of revenge for not being able to obtain Johnny's soul for himself. Johnny transformed into Ghost Rider, a leather-clad skeleton, his head cloaked in a sheath of flame, the night after Crash's death. While Johnny still had his soul, he was forced to punish the wicked upon Mephisto's demands whenever needed.

Blaze became a supernatural bounty hunter for Mephisto. Whenever he was in the presence of evil he would transform into the Ghost Rider, to exact the devil's revenge, returning the evil to Hell. Blaze was not completely lost in the transformation however, and would also help the innocent when they were in danger. His supernatural powers included; Super-human strength,invulnerability to heat and flame,an ability to project both regular and ethereal flames,the ability to travel between interdimensional realms and along any surface,he wields a magical chain & rides a flaming motorcycle, and he has a powerful "Penance Stare" which withers the souls of his victims.

Ghost Rider was made into a 2007 film starring Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze.