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Volume 1, Number 117 December 2019 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow

Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!

DESIGNER Rich Fowlks COVER ARTIST Walter Simonson (Produced in 2009 as a gift for William Klein.) COVER COLORIST Glenn Whitmore COVER DESIGNER Michael Kronenberg PROOFREADER Rob Smentek SPECIAL THANKS Neal Adams Ron Marz Cary Bates Fabian Nicieza Simon Bullivant Luigi Novi John Byrne Patrick Olliffe Sergio Cariello Dennis O’Neil Kevin Dooley Roger Robinson Kieron Dwyer Bob Rozakis Rich Fitter Philip Schweier Stephan Friedt Walter Simonson Grand Comics Bryan D. Stroud Database Thomas Tenney Tom Grindberg Dann Thomas Cully Hamner Roy Thomas Karl Heitmueller, Jr. Michael Zeno Heritage Comics Auctions Dan Johnson Barry Kitson Ed Lute Ralph Macchio Howard Mackie Elliot S! Maggin Marvel Comics

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BACKSEAT DRIVER: Editorial by Michael Eury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 FLASHBACK: Becoming His Own Hero: John Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The character’s evolution from a substitute Green Lantern to a major player BEYOND CAPES: Superman’s Stand-In, Gregory Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The DC Universe’s ultimate typecast character FLASHBACK: James Rhodes: the Essential Stand-In Superhero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 He’s Tony Stark’s pal, a surrogate Iron Man, and much, much more PRINCE STREET NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Cartoonist Karl Heitmueller, Jr. takes his jabs at superhero stand-ins FLASHBACK: Beta Ray Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 A chronological ’80s and ’90s history of the Stormbreaker-wielding monster-Thor BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: Agent of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 John Walker’s evolution from villain Super-Patriot to fill-in Captain America to U.S.Agent FLASHBACK: The Coming of Azrael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 This avenging angel stood where the Dark Knight fell BACK TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Reader reactions on issues #110–112 BACK ISSUE™ is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614. Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief. John Morrow, Publisher. Editorial Office: BACK ISSUE, c/o Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief, 112 Fairmount Way, New Bern, NC 28562. Email: euryman@gmail.com. Eight-issue subscriptions: $89 Economy US, $135 International, $36 Digital. Please send subscription orders and funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial office. Cover art by Walter Simonson. Beta Ray Bill Thor TM & © Marvel. All Rights Reserved. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © 2019 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 1

by M

It just goes to show you how some stories from our childhoods can permanently imprint us. Before you message me, “Why wasn’t [insert name of another superhero stand-in here] included in the issue?”—let me remind you that there are only so many pages in a single edition, and that our themes aren’t intended to promise a comprehensive guide to a subject. Superhero stand-ins Thunderstrike and Wally West Flash have previously been covered in our pages (although Wally will zip back in a future edition), and others, such as Kyle Rayner-Green Lantern, Hal Jordan-Spectre, Artemis-Wonder Woman, and the Reign of the Supermen, will appear in BACK ISSUE in the years to come. In closing, I’d like to offer an editorial shout-out to two readers who suggested this theme: Rich Fitter and Simon Bullivant. It’s obviously a great idea for an issue. Gentlemen, a complimentary copy of this issue is winging your way as a thank-you.

2 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

Batman, Robin, and Alfred TM & © DC Comics. Captain Action © Captain Action Enterprises. Misc. superheroes © the respective copyright holders.

My first encounter with a superhero stand-in occurred when I was a small boy, in early September 1966, when Alfred the Butler masqueraded as TV’s Caped Crusader on the Season Two opener for ABC’s Batman. Lanky, snow-mustachioed, English thespian Alan Napier looked no more like the athletic, chiseled, matinee idol Adam West than, say, Jill St. John looked like Burt Ward. But, hey, Alfred-as-Batman fooled the asleep-at-the-wheel Commissioner Gordon… and showed me that at times, a superhero needs a backup to cover for him. I was only discovering editor Mort Weisinger’s Superman franchise at the time and had not yet learned that the Man of Steel, upon occasion, called upon a superhero stand-in— a Superman robot, Bruce Wayne, and on one crazy occasion, US President John F. Kennedy—to double for him, or for Clark Kent, when a story called for Superman and Kent to be in the same place at the same time. I did, however, discover in 1966 a superhero who made a career on being a stand-in for other masked men: Ideal Toys’ Captain Action, a rather constipated-faced generic swashbuckler who could, with the mere change of a sold-separately uniform and mask of a licensed superhero—and a healthy dose of a kid’s imagination— “become” Aquaman, Captain America, the Phantom, the Lone Ranger, and other costumed crimefighters. Yet these superhero stand-in examples were generally done-in-one exercises in storytelling or playtime. It was etched in the annals of comic-book fandom that Green Lantern was Hal Jordan, Iron Man was Tony Stark, Thor was Don Blake, Captain America was Steve Rogers, Batman was Bruce Wayne—to suggest otherwise was heresy. That’s why the stories covered in this issue are so influential. John Stewart, James Rhodes, Beta Ray Bill, John Walker, and Jean-Paul Valley shook up fandom, their comics’ creators daring to upset the status quo. Each of those characters ultimately evolved into more than merely a substitute, however, earning permanence in pop culture. And then there’s Gregory Reed, a superhero stand-in of another kind, Earth-One’s screen Superman who, in a few Bronze Age tales, stood in for the Metropolis Marvel. Interestingly, more writers from BACK ISSUE’s writers’ pool lobbied to chronicle his story than any other superhero stand-in included in this issue.

ichael Eury

When people think of a replacement or substitute, they might think of someone who is maybe not quite as good as the original. In the case of John Stewart, the man who was intended to be the backup for Hal Jordan as a Green Lantern of Earth, that might have been the case starting out, but as time passed, the character has grown into his own man. More than that, he has grown into his own hero. The process hasn’t been quick and it wasn’t painless. John Stewart started out as a young black man who felt like the system was against him. As Hal Jordan noted in John’s first appearance, John challenged authority and wasn’t the type of person who would just fall in line. Indeed, John served as a reflection of the anger and frustration black youth felt towards the establishment of the early 1970s. Because of personal tragedies and mistakes he made along the way as a Green Lantern, John Stewart has grown over the course of several decades as various writers and artists have added to his story and molded him into one of the most layered characters in the DC Universe. No longer an angry young man, John is now a seasoned warrior and leader. So don’t ever call John Stewart the “backup” Green Lantern. Just call him Green Lantern.

IN THE BEGINNING…

by D a n

Johnson

John Stewart was created by the legendary comics team of Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams. He made his first appearance in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87 (Dec. 1971–Jan. 1972) during that book’s historic “relevance” run when its creators tackled such timely social topics as pollution, overpopulation, and drug abuse. With John Stewart, O’Neil and Adams addressed the need to bring more diversity and equal representation of African-American characters to comic books. The process began thanks to a conversation between Neal Adams and his editor. “I was sitting with [Green Lantern editor Julius] ‘Julie’ Schwartz and I was talking about the idea of doing another Green Lantern,” said Adams in a previous interview for BACK ISSUE, in issue #8, the Black Superheroes issue. “I said, ‘Let me ask you a question, Julie. If you were to do another Green Lantern, do you think you would make him a white guy?’ Julie said yes, he thought so, to sell comics. ‘Why are you asking?’ I said, ‘Well, you have a Green Lantern who came to Earth, Abin Sur, and he was going to die. So he sent out the ring and the ring was to find the most noble and bravest guy on Earth to become Green Lantern. It makes sense to me that it would find Hal Jordan. Hal Jordan was a test pilot, who under various people’s tutelage seemed to have been a pretty good fella. Then the ring went out and found a replacement [for Hal] and it turned out that this replacement, Guy Gardner, happened to be a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, blond-haired gym teacher. Now this has to be straining the edge of credulity here that the second best guy on Earth [to become

The New Green Lantern Move over, Hal Jordan… John Stewart’s the ring-man now! Dave Gibbons’ gut-punching cover art to Green Lantern #183 (Dec. 1984). TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 3

Fearless John Stewart’s landmark first appearance, in the O’Neil/Adams classic, Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87 (Dec. 1971– Jan. 1972). TM & © DC Comics.

a Green Lantern] is a white guy. It seemed to me that if Julie, in his generation’s innocence, asked why. I said, the ring was going to go out a third time, I don’t ‘Julie, that’s a slave name. I don’t think you think it’s going to find a white, Anglocould find a more slave name than Lincoln Washington.’ There were black guys in Saxon Protestant guy, it’s going to find an Oriental guy or a black guy. The gist America then who were changing their of my question to Julie was, ‘Can’t we names to Muslim names to avoid slave find a black Green Lantern?’” names, I explained. Julie asked me From this conversation came what I thought his name ought to John Stewart, who was destined to be. I said, ‘I don’t know if you help change DC Comics as its first want to go to the Muslim thing, African-American superhero. As it but just give him a regular name, was, John was originally going to be like John Stewart, that would be a really good name.” named Lincoln Washington until Adams took issue with the moniker Adams also suggested John’s with editor Schwartz. “I got the first profession, one that helped establish neal adams pages of the script, [and the story him even more as a realistic, grounded was originally about] this fellow character. “I had originally asked © Luigi Novi / named ‘Lincoln Washington,’” Wikimedia Commons. that he be made an architect,” stated explained Adams. “I [went to Julie] Adams. “[And that he] be given a and said, ‘I’m having a little trouble with this name.’ profession that anyone who is black would look at it and say, ‘Yeah, I could buy that.’” With a realistic name and occupation in place, John Stewart was at last ready to break new ground. “Neal and I were kind of aware that we were pushing the envelope a bit,” said writer Denny O’Neil in that same edition of BACK ISSUE. “I think it was just a consensus between us and Julie Schwartz that we needed a black character. The rationale for being a Green Lantern made it very easy to create an AfricanAmerican Green Lantern because there is no reason a guy like that couldn’t get the ring.”

KEEPING THINGS REAL

While O’Neil did a fine job giving life to John in his first appearance, he did wonder if he was the right man for the task. “Ideally, of course, [John] would have been written by a black writer, but there were virtually none in the field back then,” said O’Neil. “I always feel a little awkward when I’m doing an ethnic character because it’s not Irish Catholic, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.” In the end, O’Neil did just fine and it is generally agreed upon that John faired better as a character than some of the African-American heroes that would follow him. O’Neil and Adams kept things real by, well, keeping John real. “There are also artists who, when they draw black people, draw a standard face,” said Adams. “They have a face they think of and many of the things they do are controlled by their desire not to offend. In fact, some of these artists are Afro-American themselves. That’s why my John Stewart looks unique and singular and like no other black face I have done. I ran into a couple other problems when I did John Stewart. Julie mentioned I was doing [John’s] lips a little big. I said to Julie, ‘You know, one of the things about an African’s face is that their lips tend to be big, that’s not a bad thing. Their noses are broad too, and that’s not a bad thing. No offense, but many people in America, and many people around the world, have a really bad standard of beauty. It’s what I see [as an artist], and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Putting thick lips on John Stewart was the right thing to do. They weren’t overly thick; they were handsomely thick. He was a very handsome guy, John Stewart.” Adams went on to tell BACK ISSUE how his demand for a realistic look for John helped DC see the light in how they had been presenting people of color for a long time in their comics and make a change to a very grievous practice. “DC Comics had this rule that said if someone had dark skin, you were supposed to color them YR2B2,” said Adams. “That’s solid yellow, red 25% 4 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

and blue 25%, that was [their] color for black people. At Marvel Comics, it was Y2R2B2, which essentially is gray. At DC Comics, YR2B2 is also the color of khaki uniforms in the war books. Not many people of an African persuasion had that skin color. On the other hand, most people who are African-American have fairly dark skin, so I made John’s skin darker. I did it YR3B2, which is a redder, thick brown, using 50% red. When I did that, the head of production, Sol Harrison, came to me and said, ‘Neal, this is awfully brown. Don’t you think some black people will be offended?’ (You can see my life in those days was filled with questions that were asked of me that I never thought would enter a human mind.) I told him I thought they would be [more] offended if you colored their skin khaki or colored their skin gray. I said, ‘I’m sure that if I had brown skin, I would want you to color it brown. I think that’s the way its supposed to be, don’t you, Sol?’”

MAKING THE SCENE

When John made his big debut, there was some debate as to how well it went. “[The response to John’s first appearance] was mixed,” said O’Neil. “I would say it was overwhelmingly positive, but I think in certain sections of the country, the comics did not leave the [distributors’] boxcars and we got one or two nasty letters.” Adams, though, had different thoughts on John’s first appearance. “I think that is an impression people like to play on [that there were comics left on the boxcars],” counters Adams. “I think there were some rumors about that, but I just don’t think that’s

true. You could find one freaked out, crazy distributor who might be reluctant to put the copies on the newsstand, but once it makes it to the newsstand, you know darn well what’s going to happen. Black guys in the neighborhood are going to buy [that issue], and the white guys are going to buy it, too. Everyone was following Green Lantern/Green Arrow.” Regardless of any negative response DC Comics might have gotten, the creation of John Stewart was the right thing to do at the time. All forms of entertainment were changing in how they represented African-Americans on the big screen, the small screen, and in print. Granted, the representations weren’t always the most positive, but there was no denying that African-American audiences were eager to see themselves represented in all media. It was logical that comic books would follow suit, and it was a logic that O’Neil points out that editor Julie Schwartz recognized. “Julie was totally supportive of [John],” said O’Neil. “Here’s one of the things that was extraordinary about Julie Schwartz: he had an almost fanatic respect for the past. Yet, as far as the work went, he was always interested in the next thing. Julie personally evolved so many characters, starting when he was given the job of reintroducing the Flash. He re-invented the character, and he did the same with Green Lantern, then the Justice League and then with Superman. Almost more than any other editor, except for maybe Stan Lee, Julie realized [comics] had to evolve and it has to be contemporary. I think Julie was 100% in favor of introducing a black character. Although it [was] Neal’s idea to do it.”

What, This Again? (left) Writer Len Wein cleverly incapacitates the wielder of the universe’s most powerful weapon by having Hal Jordan slip on a bar of soap in Justice League of America #110 (Mar.–Apr. 1974). (right) John reluctantly does the ring thing again in O’Neil’s Green Lantern/ Green Arrow #94 (Apr.–May 1977). TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 5

Beware His Power We ran this way back in BI #8, but this article cries out for its reappearance: Neal Adams’ selfrejected original cover artwork for Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87, the world’s first glimpse at John Stewart. Courtesy of Neal Adams, with special thanks to John Morrow. (inset) The published version. TM & © DC Comics.

6 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

ADAMS HAD IT COVERED

The issue of Green Lantern/Green Arrow that featured John’s debut is a real standout due to the cover by Neal Adams that featured an angry John Stewart, his ring poised to take on a threat that had taken down Hal Jordan and proclaiming, “They whipped the Green Lantern -- Now let ’em try me!” As it was, the printed cover was the artist’s second go at the iconic image and the first was one that he felt needed to be rejected himself. “I did that cover over because I didn’t like the [first] drawing,” said Adams. “I just wanted it to be a very strong cover. [The new] cover was essentially this new Green Lantern taking over after [Hal Jordan] has collapsed and is unconscious and [John’s] standing over him, flashing his green ring, protecting him.” As it was, Neal realized early on how important this cover was going to be and he knew the audience he had in mind while creating it. “It’s an indication of the kind of story that I wanted to do and the kind of story on the inside,” said Adams. “If I were a black kid reading that comic book, and I saw that cover, I’d get it and I’d keep it. The first try was essentially the same, but I didn’t draw it very well. I rejected it myself.” The second cover perfectly reflected John and his attitude. In the story, as he becomes a Green Lantern, John refuses to wear a masking proclaiming, “This black man lets it all hang out! I’ve got nothing to hide!” Despite the initial friction, John does prove he has the right stuff to be a Lantern, and by story’s end he has gained Hal’s trust and respect.

THE WILDERNESS YEARS

Sadly, it would be a while before readers got to see John in action again. After his debut, he would have to wait over two years for his second outing when he teamed up with the JLA in Justice League of America #110 (Mar.–Apr. 1974). This time he was written by

Back in Action Len Wein. O’Neil would write John Stewart again in his third appearance, but sadly that took even longer to come about and John wouldn’t return again until a two-part story in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #94– 95 (May–July 1977). Afterwards, John only appeared in a handful of Green Lantern comics and Justice League of America Annual #1 (1983).

COMING INTO HIS OWN

While John Stewart would only turn up occasionally throughout the 1970s and the early the 1980s, his time to shine was eventually coming and when it did, he would be used to full effect. It began when Hal Jordan gave up the role of Green Lantern and John was made the official protector of the Sector 2814 in Green Lantern #182 (Nov. 1984). John would serve as the official Green Lantern until Green Lantern #200 (May 1986). In these issues, John went toe-to-toe with such bad guys as Major Disaster, Eclipso, and Sonar. It was also during this run that John would be given training in being a Green Lantern by the alien Katma Tui, who would eventually become his wife.

Wein, as Green Lantern scribe, accompanied by the unmatchable Dave Gibbons (our BI #123 cover artist, by the way), enlist John Stewart into GL service in issue #182 (Nov. 1984). TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 7

No Secrets

In the meantime, John Stewart was also featured prominently in DC’s maxiseries, Crisis on Infinite Earths. The fallout to all of the entire DC Multiverse was massive during this event and even the Guardians of the Universe were not immune. As the key representative of the Green Lantern Corps on Earth, John Stewart was at the center of the cosmic storm. John would end up appearing in almost every issue of the groundbreaking maxiseries. During this time period, John Stewart was discovered by Phil LaMarr, the future MAD TV star and the actor who would give the character his voice in the animated series, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. “I wasn’t a huge Green Lantern reader,” admitted LaMarr in a previous interview in BACK ISSUE #8. “I think I got into Green Lantern via Justice League of America and Justice League of America via Batman. Batman was my core hero. I think I first discovered John Stewart in the ’80s, when they first brought him back and sort of revamped the character. Then the reprints of the classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow series came out and I started looking at those because I had a huge affinity for Denny and Neal’s work on Batman. Once I was able to get ahold of reprints of Green Lantern/ Green Arrow, that’s when I went to John Stewart.” After the 200th issue of the Green Lantern comic book, the book changed its title to The Green Lantern Corps with issue #201 (June 1986) and began to feature several Green Lanterns and not just John. Unfortunately for John, that list included Hal Jordan, and suddenly Stewart took a backseat to the Earth’s first Green Lantern once again. The Green Lantern Corps would continue until Issue #224 (May 1988). The book ended with the Green Lantern Central Power Battery destroyed and Hal Jordan left as Earth’s only Green Lantern.

John Stewart reveals his secret identity before a startled Hal Jordan and Katma Tui on this eye-catching cover to Green Lantern #188 (May 1985). Original Joe Staton/Bruce Patterson art courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © DC Comics.

John uses the ring to attack Sapphire’s alter ego Carol Ferris, who is there at the inquiry, and apparently kills her, although it is later revealed Star Sapphire used her powers to only appear dead. It is just one more way for her to mess with the former Green Lantern and insure he is arrested for her murder. In the end, the public fears not only John but anyone who is a Green Lantern. The storyline with John was resolved in Green Lantern Special #1 (Dec. 1988), which was written by James Owsley and penciled by Tod Smith, with inks by Denis Rodier. There, John is exonerated for the murder of Carol Ferris but is sent to South America to answer for something Hal had previously done as a Green Lantern. When John is freed, after being given by Hal Jordan a power ring that was recovered from Oa, he sets out to take out the South American government that imprisoned him. This leads to a confrontation with Hal where the first Green Lantern must put John in check. As readers could see, John’s rashness was still a driving factor of the character in this Special. But all too soon, that hubris would lead to John Stewart’s greatest failure and regret.

ACTION ON A WEEKLY BASIS

With the cancellation of The Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern moved over to Action Comics when the book went to a weekly status and became a rotating anthology book with issue #601. [Editor’s note: See BACK ISSUE #98 to learn more about Action Comics Weekly.] While Action’s Green Lantern feature primarily focused on Hal Jordan, the first story arc, which was written by James Owsley and penciled by Gil Kane and Tod Smith with inks by Don Simpson, also concern John Stewart as Star Sapphire murders his wife, Katma Tui. While an inquiry takes place into Katma’s murder, Hal Jordan finds himself trapped in an alien prison by Star Sapphire after a confrontation. Hal sends his ring to John in the hopes he can free him. Instead,

GOING ON THE COSMIC ODYSSEY

The four-part miniseries Cosmic Odyssey (Dec. 1988–Mar. 1989) concerned several of Earth’s greatest heroes, including John Stewart, teaming up with Darkseid to capture four living embodiments of the Anti-Life Equation. “I think [John Stewart] was the Green Lantern at the time,” said Cosmic Odyssey writer Jim Starlin about how John Stewart came to be featured in this miniseries in an interview in BACK ISSUE #9. “I’m remembering there were a couple [of characters] we couldn’t use. We couldn’t use Wonder Woman, that’s why [Starfire of the Teen Titans] came in.”

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During this miniseries, the heroes all race to different destinations, including John and the Martian Manhunter, who head off to the planet Xanshi. It is this mission that, more than anything else, would come to define Stewart and haunt him for the rest of his days. When it comes time to confront the Anti-Life Aspect, John sidelines the Martian Manhunter and heads in on his own, confident he can take on anything. Sadly, the Anti-Life Aspect is ready for John when he comes to stop a bomb it has created and paints it yellow, knowing the Green Lantern’s ring will have no effect on it, yellow being the weakness of all GLs’ power rings. In the end, it is John’s arrogance that ends up dooming this world and everyone on it. While it became a moment that would come to define John Stewart, it was ironically one of the last pieces to this story’s puzzle.“[It’s] funny because that was one of the last things that got thrown in,” said Starlin about the event that forever changed John Stewart. “I wanted a transition for all the characters to go through, and I didn’t have anything for [John Stewart]. The guilt thing came in at the end.” Regarding the sequence where John fails to stop the destruction of the planet, Cosmic Odyssey artist Mike Mignola recalled in BACK ISSUE #9 how the book’s editor, Mike Carlin, left one odd joke in. “[They] kept in one of the weirdest things in DC history,” recalled Mignola. “When the Green Lantern gets to the big bomb that’s been painted yellow, it’s Andy Helfer,

one of the editors at DC Comics, who painted the bomb yellow. It’s not an alien from that particular planet, its just Andy Helfer, sitting there, leaning against the bomb with a paintbrush in his hand. Since [Mike Carlin] is good friends with Andy, he just said, ‘That’s funny, let’s do that.’ So we have a DC editor make an appearance, and as a result, the planet is destroyed.” Indeed, the failure by John Stewart would weigh heavily on him from that moment on, especially when confronted by the Martian Manhunter, who John thought would just get in the way. J’onn J’onzz tells the distraught Stewart that he can never forgive him for what he did and the lives he cost by his arrogance. Of all the character arcs in Cosmic Odyssey, this transition would carry the heaviest price tag. “When I write any story, I like to have the characters go through some kind of minor change,” stated Starlin. “[They can] learn something or become aware of something or decide that something they are doing is wrong. The whole idea of a story, as far as I’m concerned, is you want to get more into the human side of it, more than the heroics. Basically, I just wanted each one of them to have some kind of revelation.” To say the least, John Stewart’s revelation was plenty huge. “I think the fallout [of Cosmic Odyssey] is that the character is more tentative,” stated Phil LaMarr about the evolution of John Stewart. “For years [he was] talking Kyle Rayner down, saying, ‘Now, Kyle, I’ve made mistakes too.’ [After this event] he’s a little more tortured than he certainly had been up to that point.”

In the Big Leagues (left) Marv Wolfman and George Pérez tapped John StewartGL to be a fundamental character in their magnum opus Crisis on Infinite Earths. Note Stewart’s prominent placement on issue #2’s cover. (right) John and cosmic cohorts on the cover of Cosmic Odyssey #1 (Dec. 1988). Art by Mike Mignola and Carlos Garzon. TM & © DC Comics.

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WELCOME TO THE MOSAIC

The greatest chapter in the history of John Stewart came about through one of the most interesting and creative comics of the early 1990s: Green Lantern: Mosaic. The story that springboarded this unique series began in Green Lantern vol. 3 #14–17 (July 1991–Oct.1991), written by Gerard Jones, penciled by Mark Bright, and inked by Romeo Tanghal. The story of Mosaic begins when the last remaining Guardian in this dimension, Appa Ali Apsa, driven mad by his isolation on Oa, decides to transport cities from the various planets he has visited, including Earth. Soon the inhabitants of these cities are threatening to go to war with their new neighbors. Once peace is restored, John is left to oversee this experiment. What followed was a comic-book series that ran for 18 issues (June 1992–Nov. 1993) that broke new ground in storytelling and changed how fans saw John Stewart as a hero. “Green Lantern: Mosaic was mostly Gerry Jones’ baby,” explains editor Kevin Dooley, then the editor of DC’s Green Lantern franchise. “Gerry was writing most of the other Green Lantern titles as well. Gerry envisioned a diverse planet where he could tell stories that would definitely challenge readers’ imaginations and thinking. Hal Jordan was fearless and committed, Guy Gardner was aggressive and bold, and John Stewart was a free thinker, cared about equality, and wanted to do something significant on a grander scale. He made mistakes and took responsibility for them. Mosaic allowed Gerry and Cully [Hamner, Mosaic’s artist] to tell unique stories that reflected something worldlier and socially meaningful. John Stewart was the perfect vehicle by which to tell them. As he learned how to be the cop in this patchwork microcosm of the universe within Mosaic, John grew as a character. He became more self-assured and less self-blaming.” Dooley relates to BACK ISSUE how he joined DC’s editorial department: “I was working at Amazing Heroes as editor and interviewed Andy Helfer, an editor at DC Comics, for an article. [Andy] asked if I’d ever considered working at DC. Of course I had, ever since I was a teenager. Specifically, I’d always wanted to work at DC as an editor, doing Green Lantern and Aquaman! Green Lantern was my favorite book as a kid. At the time Andy hired me as an assistant editor, he was in charge of Green Lantern. He and Keith Giffen re-imagined Hal Jordan in the Emerald Dawn miniseries. This led to the monthly Green Lantern title. When Andy started to expand to other endeavors, I jumped at the chance to edit the Green Lantern line. Andy had already built up the Lanterns as a brand with Green Lantern, Green Lantern: Mosaic, Guy Gardner, and Green Lantern Quarterly. So when I took them over, I was blessed with a brilliant array of talent, like Gerard Jones and Cully Hamner.” “I was just started to pry the door open, really,” says artist Cully Hamner about how he came to work on Green Lantern: Mosaic. “I had done a little work in comics here and there under the radar, a little coloring here, penciling a little short kevin dooley story for Dark Horse there, that sort of thing. But I had become friends with a group of artists in Atlanta and one of them, Facebook. inker Karl Story, introduced me to his editor on Legion of Super-Heroes, Michael Eury. I gave him samples and he showed them to his officemate at the time, Green Lantern editor Kevin Dooley. I guess Kevin saw something. He called me and offered to pay me to do some sample pages. I did them, he gave me the job, and those samples are actually the first few pages in the first issue. I stayed for something like, 11 issues.” [Editor’s note: Actually, Cully did more than 11! He penciled Mosaic #1–10, 12, 13, and part of 15.] Dooley is quick to point out the contribution to the series by its primary artist, Cully Hamner. “I sincerely believe Cully brought a different artistic reality to John,” says Dooley. “He, as much as Gerry, redefined John through Mosaic’s distinct outlook. I can’t think of anyone who could have pulled it off so imaginatively. Cully was and is the man!” In regard to contributing to the book, Hamner does recall one time he added to part of the story element. “Gerard Jones was writing the book, and while we did talk regularly during the run, I’d never say I contributed anything to the writing,” says Hamner. “Oh, that’s not right! Hold on, there was one thing. I had a made a pun or something with the ‘Malcolm X-Men.’ I think this was right

At Last! John Stewart’s cosmic adventures are chronicled in his own series, Green Lantern: Mosaic! (top) Issue #1 (June 1992) cover, by Brian Stelfreeze. (bottom) John as illustrated by Cully Hamner (inked by Dan Panosian), on this interior splash from Mosaic #1. TM & © DC Comics.

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after I had seen Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, which I had loved. That, in turn, got me to read Alex Haley’s Autobiography of Malcolm X. So that was in my brain, and I made this offhanded pun, and I guess Gerry keyed in on it somehow and used it. And weirdly, it had to be changed because DC didn’t want to get in trouble with Malcolm X’s widow, Betty Shabazz. So it ended up being called the ‘Minister X-Men’ [Green Lantern: Mosaic #12—ed.]. And I’d had a bunch of really silly ideas for the team members. That particular issue, yeah, I guess you could say that I contributed more than art, but that’s pretty much it.” For fans of John Stewart, this is the series where everything really began to change for the character. There was no arguing—John came into his own at last. The series showed Stewart as the hero he was always meant to be and much more. It showed him as a fleshedout character and a real man with emotion and heart. “If anything, Gerry and Cully molded John into much more of a three-dimensional character,” says Dooley. “He went through a lot and came out of it—in a large part due to Mosaic and Gerry Jones—a better hero and a better man. Sounds kind of cliched, but thanks to that, John was someone who would make decisions on ethical grounds, considering everyone involved, looking at the grayer areas of right and wrong.” Green Lantern: Mosaic only lasted for 18 issues. One has to wonder what might have been, had the book continued. “I’m sure Gerry had plans [for John Stewart and Mosaic], but he famously was not getting along with DC right around then,” recalls Hamner. “I wasn’t really privy to any of the specific long-term plans. I’ll be honest, it wouldn’t have mattered much to me because my memory is that I wanted off the book. The word filtered down that we were cancelled at something like issue #5, but they were going to let Gerry have time to wrap it up, and they did. The book lasted another [13] issues. For, me, though, it felt pointless. It was during a time when there were lots of exciting things happening in comics and I wanted to get in on it. And I felt that Mosaic was marked for death, unappreciated by DC, and no one was reading it or cared about it. So I was planning on jumping to something else somewhere at the first real opportunity.” When asked about the book’s demise, editor Dooley fills BACK ISSUE in on potential reasons for why the plug was pulled. “Mosaic’s numbers were good,” says Dooley. “It was a book that many considered out of the mainstream. There’s nothing wrong—and many things right—about that. The higher-ups at DC wanted Mosaic cancelled early in the series, perhaps because of its aforementioned uniqueness. I’d like to think that I fought to keep it alive a bit longer because I thought it was worthwhile. Additionally, we were heading cully hamner toward doing Emerald Twilight, where there was ultimately going to be only one Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner. Ergo, sadly, au revoir Mosaic.”

THE ANIMATED FIGURE

As Dooley mentioned, a great enemy was about to take out John Stewart as a Green Lantern, as well as the entire Corps. This “enemy” was not found in the pages of any comic book, but rather were some of the DC decision-makers who published the comics. By 1993, a decision had been made to have just one Green Lantern, and it was decided to replace Hal Jordan as that one, lone hero. So, exit Jordan (and alas, Stewart, too) and enter Kyle Rayner. For some long-term fans, this was the end of an era for the Green Lanterns… and John too. John Stewart would go on to be represented in the DC Universe, serving with the Darkstars and eventually becoming a Green Lantern once again. But John Stewart’s greatest success was to come with the dawning of the new century and the creation of one of the best superhero animated shows of all time. In 2001, Cartoon Network launched the Bruce Timm-produced Justice League, spun off from Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series. When the time came to add the Green Lantern to the series, Timm and his team went with John Stewart, and the man they chose to bring Stewart to life was the aforementioned actor Phil LaMarr. “I had been working

Emerald Guardian From the collection of Michael Zeno, an undated Cully Hamner John Stewart-GL portrait. TM & © DC Comics.

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Animated Lantern Actor Phil LaMarr, voice of (in background) John Stewart in the Justice League cartoon series. Stewart has continued to appear in subsequent DC animated projects, on TV and in made-for-DVD films. TM & © DC Comics.

for Warner Bros. on another show, Static Shock, and I was brought in to audition for Justice League,” recalled LaMarr. “As a comics reader, it was definitely interesting to see what characters had been picked [to make up the League]. We didn’t know if these were the only characters [they would be using on the show], but the fact that they had John Stewart as the Green Lantern was very interesting. Once I started working on the show, I asked Bruce [Timm] about that. I don’t think this was the only reason, but the first thing he mentioned was, ‘Well, I just didn’t want it to be a bunch of white guys going around saving the universe!’” From the very beginning, the writers on the show set out to make John Stewart his own man, and this was a fact that LaMarr picked up on right from the beginning. “It is interesting because [the writers] rewrote the character in many ways,” said LaMarr. “At first I thought John was just going to be Hal Jordan in brown skin. I figured, ‘Okay, he’s the Green Lantern, he’s the hero who has always been Green Lantern,’ but they gave him a different background and a different personality. Hal was more of a guy’s guy than John Stewart is. This John Stewart doesn’t have any buddies in the League.” Like many writers and artists, actors often get to leave their mark on comic-book characters, too. When asked about this, LaMarr shared what he thought was his mark he left on John Stewart as a character. “As a voice actor, your contribution is very subtle. You come into the process long after the scripts are done, so really what happens is, it becomes a cumulative effect. The way you perform the words in one episode gives the writers a voice that helps them write the next episode. I chose to give John a very deep, powerful voice. For me, that couldn’t be avoided, given the way Bruce designs characters. You have this gigantic chest and that says to me this guy has a huge

resonating chamber [and] his voice has to boom. [The producers and writers] told me about [John’s] military background, and in my experience, most of the black guys that age who went into the Army did so to get out of bad circumstances. They didn’t have a ton of opportunities, and [the military] was one of the best ones. Also, my dad is from Detroit, and I modeled a lot of [John’s] voice on him. He’s a very intelligent guy, but not excessively educated. He’s someone who can think, but you can still hear the old neighborhood in his voice.” Another thing that LaMarr added to John Stewart’s personality, and to his mythos, was something very near and dear to the actor: reading comic books. “I think that was a conscious nod from the writers,” said LaMarr. “They did that once they realized I was a big geek like them. Once you find that fact out, it doesn’t seem out of character [for John], but if someone was to tell you beforehand, you would be like, ‘Really!?! John Stewart reads comic books!?!’ Once you see it in play, it all makes sense. As the comic-book geek, I think I spent more time hanging around the writers asking them what was coming next. I had an emotional investment in these characters, so they probably went, ‘Hey! Let’s give Phil more lines!’”

IN RETROSPECT

Today, John Stewart is a more prominent character than ever before. Thanks to his appearances in the Justice League animated series, many fans see him as an equal to Hal Jordan, if not the one, true Green Lantern. But how do his creators see him and his role in the DC Universe today? “It’s a mistake to think that with a character that’s been around for as long as most of these guys that there is only one, absolute right way to interpret them,” said Denny O’Neil about the way other writers have presented John. “If you watch Laurence Olivier and Mel Gibson play Hamlet, it’s a very different play and they’re both valid on their own terms. It depends on the skill with which it is done. [The later stories] are not my version certainly, but that’s fine. As long as on its own terms it works, I have no qualms at all.” “I think they’ve been doing him okay,” said Neal Adams when asked about the way John Stewart had been handled. “One of the reasons I fought so hard to have a black Green Lantern as I did not want anybody to have any reason to say this character shouldn’t exist. The ring went out and sought the best, it gave him the prize, and the prize was that he got the job of cleaning up everyone else’s mess, and if he was wiling to take it, he wasn’t going to have any reward, all he would have is a little gold star in his notebook and he would be a hero. That prize was given once to a white guy and a couple of times to some a**holes, but it was given to John Stewart rightly, and John Stewart to me is a real hero as opposed to a secondary hero. “Even when he first came out, which I’m really so proud of Denny O’Neil for doing this, John just didn’t take crap from Hal Jordan. I felt that was exactly the way he ought to be. John Stewart became the other Green Lantern, and not just ‘junior Green Lantern’ or a replacement. That was really what I was hoping for from the beginning.” DAN JOHNSON is a comics writer whose work can be found in Cemetery Plots from Empire Comics Lab. His other notable comics work includes Herc and Thor for Antarctic Press and several books for Campfire Graphic Novels. He is also a gag writer for the Dennis the Menace comic strip.

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by P h i l i p

Schweier

There’s no denying the impact The Adventures of Superman (1952–1958) has had in the comic-book world. The TV show has been broadcast continuously for decades, cultivating generations of Superman fans. For many, actor George Reeves was their first exposure to the Man of Steel. “For me and millions of other kids in the 1950s,” says long-time Superman writer Cary Bates, “Reeves became an icon who embodied all the noble and heroic traits that defined Superman. His image was so unassailable, none of us seemed to notice our Man of Steel was in fact a slightly paunchy 40-something man wearing shoulder pads.” Bates’ frequent compadre in the comic-book trenches, Elliot S! Maggin, agrees. Throughout the 1970s, they wrote many of the Man of Steel’s adventures. “Reeves brought interpretations and nuance to the character of which only Superman’s creators had been aware before. He was a consummate actor, living every bit as much in any given moment as a gifted stage performer— and playing a character who just didn’t occur in nature to boot. Not many people can pull off a role like that.”

A STAR IS BORN

In 1972, Reeves’ influence made its way to Superman’s comic-book world, in the form of supporting player Gregory Reed. The thinly veiled homage to Reeves was the product of late night meetings at the Hilltop Diner in Queens, where Bates and Maggin shared story ideas. “We worked closely like that from the time Cary got an apartment a block away from mine and for a couple of years after that,” Maggin says, though he offers the lion’s share of Reed’s development to Bates. “Cary used the character first, so obviously it’s his creation.” In Action Comics #414 (July 1972), Bates wrote “Superman vs. Superstar,” with art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. The story opens with a would-be bank robber challenging the Man of Steel. However, when an escaped tiger approaches, Superman panics, until a second Superman arrives to handle the big cat. It is quickly revealed the robbery scene is just that— a scene from a movie being filmed. Gregory Reed, the costumed actor, retires to his trailer, angry at being upstaged by the real Superman. Reed had built a film career as the Man of Steel, but was disfigured when a stunt went tragically wrong. The studio managed to keep his scars a secret, and thanks to a lot of Hollywood makeup and costuming, portraying Superman is Reed’s only career option. Blaming Superman for derailing his life and career, the embittered actor seeks out the dark powers of magic. He lures Superman to his home to apologize for his earlier rude behavior, and uses sorcery to trap Superman and exchange bodies. Now gifted with superhuman abilities, he’s ready to trade lives with the weakened hero, leaving Superman to continue the life of a disfigured movie star.

Caught in the Act Action Comics #414 (July 1972), introducing the DC Universe’s Superman actor, Gregory Reed. Cover by Nick Cardy. TM & © DC Comics.

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The Clothes Make the (Super)Man Black magic allows Reed to swap places with, then humiliate, Superman in Action #414. By Bates, Swan, and Anderson. TM & © DC Comics.

But Superman notices a magic symbol on the palm of his (formerly Reed’s) hand, and deduces the mind switch happened as a result of them shaking hands. When Reed is unable to control his new powers, the ceiling collapses, trapping Superman beneath the rubble. He reaches out to Reed, who instinctively takes Superman’s hand to pull him to safety, causing their minds to switch back to their proper bodies. After subduing his foe, Superman promises to use Kryptonian science to heal Reed’s weakened form.

A SEQUEL

Three years later, Reed returned in Action Comics #445 (Mar. 1975). Superman has made good on his promises to help heal Reed in mind and body, and the actor now proudly embraces the role for which he is famous. Maggin recalls Reed’s redemption came about as a result of encounters with people who were involved with the old TV show. “The story was that George committed suicide because supposedly he was typecast and depressed about his career,” he explains. “It turns out that was just something his friends agreed they’d say to

justify this fictional suicide. He was generally a happy, accomplished guy with only good things on the horizon for his career. Cary and I learned this, and consequently we changed the character’s attitude so it better reflected George Reeves’ outlook.” “Count Ten, Superman—and Die,” was written by Bates, with art by Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger. Clark Kent attends a presentation by Reed at the Metropolis Civic Center. Afterward, while addressing the media outside, Reed is struck by an invisible pulse bolt, knocking him into a fountain. The genuine Superman appears, and flies the dazed actor to the hospital. The pulse bolt was fired from a spaceship of the Superman Revenge Squad, in orbit above. The crew’s leader reprimands his subordinate for targeting an impostor, a mistake he quickly corrects. As Superman uses his powers, the pulse bolt will gradually poison him. He handles several crises and near-catastrophes, while Reed seemingly lies comatose in the hospital. Clark’s seeming lack of emotional control is attributed to the side effects of the pulse bolt. Eventually, Superman saves a boy fallen from a high-rise. Upon landing, he collapses, apparently dead, and the Superman Revenge Squad leaves orbit for home. To no surprise, Superman is not dead. Thanks to a pill that will temporarily give humans Kryptonian powers, he and Reed shared super-duties, giving the poison time to drain harmlessly from his body. Learning of the failure, the Superman Revenge Squad destroys their comrades’ spaceship upon their return to base. Reed’s next appearance came in Superman #297 (Mar. 1976), chapter two of a four-part story crafted by Maggin and Bates. In “Clark Kent Forever… Superman Never,” Superman appears to have lost his powers, permitting Clark to lead a normal, human life. Unfortunately, there are plenty of emergencies that require a hero’s attention, such as an unruly mob on the verge of becoming a riot. Though subdued by a familiar red and blue figure, the man wearing the cape isn’t Superman. Gregory Reed bravely faces the angry people, using his own powers of oratory and delivery to calm them.

SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS

By 1977, production of Superman: The Movie starring Christopher Reeve was underway, and Gregory Reed became a popular supporting player in the Superman titles. “Most of what we did with our stories was a product of whatever we were thinking about at the time,” explains Maggin. “I think probably our imaginations were fed by the prospect of a new guy playing Superman in such a high-profile environment.” Reed made four appearances in as many titles, beginning with Action Comics #469 (Mar. 1977). “The Night Superman was Buried in Boot Hill” was written by Bates, with art by Curt Swan and Tex Blaisdell. In the first half of a two-part story, Terra-Man returns to Metropolis to challenge the Last Son of Krypton. Night after night, the citizens of Metropolis watch Terra-Man defeat Superman on television. Meanwhile, producers of the latest Superman film raise the question of continuing to promote a hero who appears less than heroic. But that soon becomes the least of the public’s worries when Terra-Man sends Superman to his grave. Part Two, entitled, “Even Superman Must Die Sometime!” (Action Comics #470, Apr. 1977), begins as a lone figure tosses a Superman costume into the sea. “I have no more use for this uniform,” he says to himself. “My career as Superman is over… finished!” For those who believing this to be Clark Kent, it is soon revealed to be Gregory Reed, mourning the demise of his hero. 14 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

But of course, Superman is not dead, though the people of Metropolis are permitted to believe so. Terra-Man—actually Superman in an unwilling disguise— soars above the city’s streets, drawing the attention of Flash and Green Lantern, as well as the story’s true villain. Thanks to Green Lantern’s power ring, Reed is once more gifted with Superman’s powers and assists Superman in winning the day. Bob Rozakis featured Reed in The Secret Society of Super-Villains #7 (May–June 1977), illustrated by Rich Buckler and Bob Layton. In “Luthor’s League of Super-Villains,” Luthor leads the Wizard, the Matter Master, and Felix Faust in an attack in Sapporo, Japan, where a Superman movie is being filmed and Reed is mistaken for the real Man of Steel.

“It made sense to me that there would be movies or a TV series made about Superman,” says Rozakis. “Though he was very real in Metropolis, to much of the rest of the world, he was an almost-mythical character.” He admits the then-coming movie played a part in his plot. “Having the other villains attack the faux Man of Steel and think he was the real thing was part of the tongue-in-cheek approach I took to the story.” While Gregory Reed may have started as an homage to George Reeves, the character was also a tribute to Christopher Reeve. “In my use of him,” says Rozakis, “he was an actor currently portraying the Man of Steel in a movie, so he was more Chris than George.” The Reeves/Reeve connection struck Bates as a bit of cosmic synchronicity. “It didn’t seem as much of a stretch

Double Date (top left) Cover artist Cardy riffs off of the classic “Flash of Two Worlds” cover (inset) for Action #445 (Mar. 1975). (top right) Superman #297 (Mar. 1976) cover by Bob Oksner, the issue featuring (bottom) Gregory Reed’s return. Story by Bates/Maggin/Swan/Oksner. TM & © DC Comics.

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Super Boys (top) Supermen galore on Schaffenberger’s Action #474 cover. (below) Gregory Reed’s three writers, as seen in the early 1980s at DC Comics events. (middle) Cary Bates (right, in background) waits his turn at the chow line as Allan Asherman and Carl Gafford fill their plates. (bottom left) Elliot S. Maggin. (bottom right) “Loud Shirt Day” celebrant Bob Rozakis wielding the Tie That Should Not Be Worn. Photos courtesy of Bob Rozakis.

when we took things one step further and named our Superman actor ‘Reed.’” Reed’s celebrity status was reinforced in the pages of Super Friends #5 (June 1977) in “Telethon Treachery,” by E. Nelson Bridwell, Ramona Fradon, and Bob Smith. Though he doesn’t actually appear in the comic book, Reed is among the DC Universe celebs scheduled to perform at a charity telethon hosted by the heroes. “Bridwell was an outlandishly brilliant guy and a tremendous resource,” Maggin says. “He wasn’t just the keeper of the archives, but he seemed to know everything about everything.” His intimate knowledge of Superman lore—as well a variety of other subjects, from Shakespeare to botany—is legendary.” [Editor’s note: I agree! See BACK ISSUE #81 for more about the amazing E.N.B.] “Maybe his use of Greg Reed was an endorsement,” Maggin muses. “We were each—everyone working on the character in any medium–—ultimately a resource for the rest of us. I felt that was the way it should be. When you’ve got decades of traditional knowledge to draw on, you draw on it.” Action Comics #474 (Aug. 1977) featured “Will the Real Superman Please Show Up?” by Bates, with art by Kurt Schaffenberger and Tex Blaisdell. The story is mostly set during a talk show featuring a panel of celebrity guests—including Clark Kent and Gregory Reed—who at one time or another were believed to be Superman. But when Clark spies Doctor Light in the audience, he knows there’s a greater plot afoot, and foils the supervillain’s scheme to expose his true identity.

GUEST-APPEARANCES

While most of Reed’s interactions have been with the Man of Steel, he has also been featured with Supergirl, in the pages of Superman Family #206 (Mar.–Apr. 1981). As a preamble to events in “Strangers at the Heart’s Core,” Linda (Supergirl) Danvers encounters Reed on the campus of New Athens Experimental School. He is initially believed to be the genuine Superman, until Supergirl arrives and exposes his playful impersonation as a publicity stunt for his latest film. She explains, “It’s just impossible to fool a close relative by impersonation… plus the fact that Greg was breathing hard after his flight—which the real Superman would never do.” The story was written by Jack C. Harris, with art by Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta. Superman #396 (June 1984) features the story “The Battle for Superman’s Brain,” by Joey Cavalieri, Curt Swan, and Dave Hunt. It opens with Jimmy tied to the hands of Big Ben. When the clock strikes 12, the clock tower will detonate. Thankfully, Superman comes to rescue. Or does he? When an off-panel voice yells, “Cut!,” it becomes clear Reed’s latest Superman movie is being filmed, with Superman as the production’s technical consultant. However, following an exchange between screenwriters Leslie and David, he wonders, “I can’t understand why you’ve got me here as an advisor, if you won’t take my advice.” Presumably this was a jab at screenwriters Leslie and David Newman, who were reportedly responsible for some of the camp humor in the Superman films released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Meanwhile, Intellex, the Brain Bandit, eavesdrops on the production. Similar to Brainiac, he scours the universe for great intellects to be added to his collection, to be catalogued and cross-indexed. Intrigued by the Man of Steel’s boast of his ability make calculations in nanoseconds, he decides to add Superman’s brain to his archive. When Intellex attempts to capture the Man of Steel, the Mystery Masquerader—a super-being with powers comparable to Superman’s—interferes, and the Brain 16 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

On the Set (top) Special effects can’t protect Reed’s noggin in Action #469. (middle) Reed, as Superman, is about to encounter bad guys in Secret Society of Super-Villains #7. (bottom) Supergirl and her cousin’s screen counterpart, in Superman Family #206. TM & © DC Comics.

Bandit is defeated. But in the rematch, Intellex manages to brainwash the Mystery Masquerader over to his side, and Superman is captured. Of course, it’s all a ploy. The Mystery Masquerader is really Superman, and “Superman” is really Gregory Reed. Thanks to a Legion of Super-Heroes flight ring and a few other gimmicks, Intellex is tricked, so his weapons designed to incapacitate a Kryptonian would be ineffective against a Terran. Reed returned soon after in “The Man Who Saw Superman Die,” written by Paul Kupperberg, with art by Eduardo Barreto and Dave Hunt, in Superman #399 (Sept. 1984). Reed appears on the news program Metropolis Mornings with Clark Kent to promote the United Charities Month. All over the city, street-corner Supermen are collecting donations, but one criminal is determined to collect the cash for himself. Meanwhile, Col. Edmond Hamilton, USAF, also known as Colonel Future, has had a precognitive vision of Superman’s death. He leads Superman on a merry chase intended to keep him away from the scene of his foretold fatality, but his efforts go awry, revealing his vision of the future accurate but misinterpreted. DC Comics Presents Annual #4 (July 1985) by Elliot S! Maggin, Eduardo Barreto, and Jerry Ordway features a different Reed/Superman switch than we’re accustomed to seeing. Instead of Reed taking Superman’s place, the Man of Steel has stepped in for Reed for a public appearance at Luthorcon, a convention honoring the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis. The ruse backfires when conventioneers approach Superman armed with “fake” kryptonite. It’s up to Kristin Wells, the Superwoman from the 29th Century, to rescue the Man of Steel and defeat Lex Luthor.

CLOSING CREDITS

Gregory Reed wouldn’t appear again until 1994, when Mark Millar mentioned him in Swamp Thing #144 (July 1994). He was also briefly listed in JLA Secret Files #1 (Sept. 1997). In Adventures of Superman #571 (Oct. 1999), Hollywood comes to Metropolis to film the story of the Atomic Skull. A Superman actor is featured— presumably Gregory Reed, though he’s not mentioned by name. Louise Simonson wrote the story, with art by Michael T. Collins and Denis Rodier. This would be Reed’s final appearance, but he is mentioned in Action Comics #10 (Aug. 2012), by Grant Morrison, Rags Morales, and Rick Bryant. In retrospect, Bates suggests Gregory Reed was underutilized, never reaching his full potential. “Here we had a workman-like actor who was just collecting a paycheck to play the Superman role in a world where he would always come up short in comparison to the real Superman, who dominated the news every day. You’d think after a while that would take some kind of psychological toll. It just

seems like there was rich fodder there where we could’ve gone much deeper into what made this guy tick.” Perhaps his star-meter within the DC Universe faded for the same reason other actors fade into obscurity— typecasting. According to Rozakis, Reed was a secondary character from the beginning and served only two roles: either Superman actor cameo, or a decoy for Superman. “Had one of us writers chosen to,” he says, “he might have been developed into a friend for Clark, a romantic interest for Lois or Lana, or any number of other plotlines.” Maggin agrees. “We wanted Reed to be Superman’s pal—at least a familiar acquaintance—because we always felt that if Superman were a real guy, George Reeves would have hung out with him.” PHILIP SCHWEIER is a graphic designer and freelance writer living in Savannah, Georgia.

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KIRBY & LEE: STUF’ SAID (Expanded Second Edition)

After achieving the quickest sell-out in TwoMorrows’ history, we’re going back to press for an EXPANDED SECOND EDITION, including minor corrections, and 16 NEW PAGES of “Stuf’ Said” by the creators of the Marvel Universe! This first-ofits-kind examination, completed just days before STAN LEE’s recent passing, looks back at KIRBY & LEE’s own words, in chronological order, from fanzine, magazine, radio, and television interviews, to paint the most comprehensive and enlightening picture of their relationship ever done—why it succeeded, where it deteriorated, and when it eventually failed. Also here are recollections from STEVE DITKO, WALLACE WOOD, JOHN ROMITA SR., and more Marvel Bullpen stalwarts who worked with them both. Compiled, researched, and edited by publisher JOHN MORROW. SECOND EDITION NOW SHIPPING! (176-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $26.95 • (Digital Edition) $12.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-094-6 • Order at www.twomorrows.com

by J o

hn Kirk

Heroism is the noblest state of being to which a person can aspire, but people have moments of weaknesses, flaws, and vulnerabilities. Even the most heroic person has to have a limit. So, that begs the question: What qualifies someone to be a substitute hero? There has to be a journey, and it has to start from somewhere. James “Rhodey” Rhodes began his journey to becoming the superhero War Machine with many steps in between. He first appeared as a reliable employee who later became a trusted friend, and though there were moments in his relationship with Tony Stark that tested their friendship, there was still trust and confidence that managed to make for entertaining and memorable stories. Rhodey’s bravery, loyalty, and the combination of other attributes like combat skills, avionics engineering knowledge, and an overall reliability that all manifested in different stages of his life give readers a sense of Rhodes’ deservedness to take on the role of Iron Man and later, War Machine.

THE “WINGMAN”

We were first introduced to James Rhodes in Iron Man #118 (Jan. 1979), co-plotted by inker Bob Layton and scripter David Michelinie and penciled by John Byrne. This was a seemingly innocuous introduction of a minor supporting character which included a brief conversation between the pilot/engineer of Stark’s personal air transport and his boss. It was a logical presumption that a billionaire industrialist (Stark) would have his own personal aircraft and pilot (Rhodes). john byrne Rhodes is presented as affable, confident, and not subservient. There’s a respect © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. between the two men in these first panels that signals the type of relationship they would continue to have. While a brief encounter, it was significant enough for creator John Byrne to wonder how he should be presented. “I was kind of a mid-wife in the creation of Rhodey, so he is somewhat near and dear,” Byrne recounted in Andy Mangels’ book, Iron Man: Beneath the Armor. “I actually drew it sitting at a tiny drawing board tucked into the corner of [Iron Man editor] Roger Stern’s office. I came to the page Jim Rhodes first appeared on and I looked over at Rog and said, ‘Any reason why this guy shouldn’t be black?’ Rog liked the idea, so I drew Rhodey as a black man.” Byrne is emphatically proud of this daring decision. Though skin color shouldn’t have been an issue in deciding the merit of a new character, that was still a consideration in the 1970s, and the idea of a minority character, even a supporting one, could have been seen as challenging, as minority characters were still rare in comic books and the popular culture at large. Rhodey’s race was not a matter of concern for Byrne, Stern, Michelinie, or Layton, but it was still conceivable that it could present itself as one for some readers. But Rhodes was presented as not just a “Fifth Business” supporting character of marginal

The Man in the Iron Mask Rhodey begins his career as Tony Stark’s replacement in Iron Man #170 (May 1983). Cover by Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell. TM & © Marvel.

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EDDIE MARCH: THE FIRST STAND-IN IRON MAN First appearing in Iron Man #21 (Jan. 1970), Eddie March is a boxer who so fervently admired the Armored Avenger’s resilience that he took the nickname of “Iron Man” in the ring. Iron Man never gave up, so neither would March. In this two-part tale (concluding in issue #22) by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, and Mike Esposito, Stark aide Happy Hogan takes his boss out for a night at the fights. Happy introduces Tony to Eddie, a former sparring partner of Hogan’s. March has just learned from a post-fight doctor’s exam that a brain blood clot will keep him from ever entering the ring again, so he tells his old pal Hap that he is retiring from fighting. Soon, Eddie, whose precarious health he keeps secret, is employed at Stark Industries. Meanwhile, Tony is hesitant about being Iron Man and is rethinking his dual life as the Armored Avenger. Eddie March, whose bravery in the ring dazzled Stark, is thrilled to step into the armor to become Iron Man for real. March’s first assignment brings as Iron Man him into TM & © Marvel. combat with the Crimson Dynamo, who is wearing newly updated armor. The Dynamo proves more than a match for the neophyte Iron Man. While coordinating Iron Man II’s activities from a distance, Stark learns of March’s blood clot and that his stand-in’s actions as Iron Man are imperilling his wellbeing. Stark puts on a duplicate suit of Iron Man armor and races to Eddie’s rescue, where March is discovered to be in urgent need of medical attention. Eddie is rushed into surgery, and when Stark asks the doctor if there is anything he—or Iron Man—can do, he is told to pray. March survives. Eddie March is distinguished by being the first Iron Man stand-in actively recruited by Tony Stark. Interestingly, he, like James Rhodes, is African American, a rarity in superhero comics when these issues of Iron Man were published in late 1969. He would make further appearances in Marvel comics in later years. March’s may have been a short stint behind the iron mask, but his time as Iron Man is an excellent example of bravery and courage—qualities emulated by James Rhodes in the future.

significance—he was one who provided a valuable service to Stark as personal pilot or airplane mechanic, and as we would see in the subsequent issues, a fellow raconteur, chum, or, in a vernacular sense, a true wingman. Beginning with Iron Man #156 (Mar. 1982), we see Rhodey banter with his boss about his romantic conquests and reinforce his sterling reputation as a pilot. This is context for not only his role as a confidant, but when we see him leap to Iron Man’s defense in his battle with the Mauler, Rhodes, armed only with a fire hose, also proves himself to be a brave, “stand-up guy.” This sort of action not only hints at the type of character he will become in latter issues, but shows that he is worthy dennis o’neil of taking on the mantle of “hero.” It is this action that legitimizes James Rhodes’ status as an important aide to © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. Tony Stark. Denny O’Neil, who took over the Iron Man writing duties in the early 1980s, further develops this notion. We see the continuation of banter between Stark and Rhodes in issue #163 (Oct. 1982). As they fly, Rhodey speaks to Stark in familiar tones, and even forms part of the entourage as Stark, Tony’s new paramour Indries Moomji, and Rhodes arrive at their destination. Eventually, Rhodey becomes a major story element in this issue as Stark has to fight against time to get a poisoned pilot to a hospital for medical care. Rhodes becomes more of a friend and an important character that figures strongly in the Iron Man mythos.

DONNING THE ARMOR

The #160s issues of Iron Man form the initial foundation of the Stark/Rhodes relationship. As O’Neil was strongly focusing on exploiting the weaknesses that Michelinie had instilled within Stark, he was also building up Rhodes’ character to be a worthy successor. In #167 (Feb. 1983), Tony calls James his “best friend,” and in #169, we see that friendship tested when Rhodey steps up for his friend in the most unexpected way: putting on the Iron Man suit during a time of crisis. “Rhodes was the most logical candidate to don the suit when Stark became incapacitated,” Denny O’Neil categorically states about the succession decision. “[Rhodey’s] ethnicity was never any kind of issue.” Luke McDonnell, at that time the penciler of Iron Man, adds, “I’m not sure if his being black was really much of a point in the story. It was more of an issue of personality—Rhodes being a hothead, compared to Stark’s cool rationalism, and how that affected things when they put on the tin suit.” Yet, while this may have been a Stark-centric plotline, its implications upon the development of Rhodes as a more important character created an entirely fresh path for the Iron Man saga. A brand-new Iron Man came into being at the end of issue #169. This was the period that saw Stark’s second descent into alcoholism, echoing the dramatic subject of Iron Man’s celebrated “Demon in a Bottle” storyline of 1979, calling for another wearer to take on the armor. A picture is worth a thousand words, but even in the few images at the end of this issue, we see a man fully aware of the awesome power he is being handed. The first time we see the helmet lowered on to Rhodes’ head, we see that understanding in his face. Issue #170 (May 1983) perfectly captures the initial stages of Rhodey’s insecurity. With absolutely no training save the natural instincts of a pilot, Rhodes takes the Iron Man armor from the inebriated Stark, puts it on, and immediately leaps into combat—with the aforementioned and unconscious Stark stored safely in a technical storage shed. Despite his nervousness, Rhodes’ bravery is immediately tested—and made evident, which more than qualifies him to stand in for Stark. From a storytelling perspective, this makes an entertaining dynamic. With this plot twist, we now have an Iron Man who has no scope of his

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powers. James Rhodes is the hero who rises to the occasion, despite the fact that he doesn’t know the capabilities of the armor he is wearing. He can’t regulate its strength, and even though he is a pilot, he is unfamiliar with the flight capacity and maneuverability of the suit. This underscores a theme of insecurity that writers like Denny O’Neil and Roger Stern would capitalize on in future issues. After issue #170, we see more testing of Jim Rhodes’ character. Tony Stark is washed out and drifting. Rhodes tries to secure Stark by taking him to the safest place he can think— his mother’s house in Philadelphia—but that gesture of support is for naught. Rhodes is also trying to the right thing by Tony, for whom he feels tremendous loyalty, by attempting to secure the extra suits of Iron Man armor from rival Obadiah Stane’s grasp. Stark disappears from Mrs. Rhodes’ house and loses himself in the streets of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, an even more fretful Rhodes has to next contend with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury, who is determined to obtain the same missing armor. In a few issues after he has donned the helmet of Iron Man, James Rhodes has demonstrated courage, ingenuity, and a steadfast loyalty to his friend.

GROWING CONFIDENCE

By issue #175 (Oct. 1983), James Rhodes has become surer of himself and his use of the Iron Man armor. He has become more adventurous, seeking out missions and excuses to operate as Iron Man. When Stark employee Morley Erwin challenges Rhodey to work together with him and his sister to form an electronics firm, he readily agrees since there is no way to make a living out of adventuring without Stark’s bankrolling millions. While this may be seen as a decision made out of necessity, it’s also a sign of Rhodes’ increasing sense of self-assurance as he becomes more used to actually being Iron Man instead of simply standing in for him. In subsequent issues, Rhodes begins to look for additional sources of revenue. In #177 (Dec. 1983) he connects with the “Heroes for Hire,” Iron Fist and Power Man, and lands a bodyguarding contract for lucrative pay. While not normally Rhodey’s forte, he manages to pull off the job and bring seed money home to the Erwin siblings, Morley and Clytemnestra, who are eager to start their new electronics company. This is one of the first moments when Rhodes realizes he can bring something uniquely his own to the role of Iron Man. He earns the respect of the Erwins, and while not in their scientific caliber, he is seen by them as having fortitude and character. He still acknowledges that he is Iron Man only until Tony Stark stops drinking, but his actions and intentions demonstrate that he is in the suit for the long haul. However, during this time, Rhodey begins to develop headaches that manifest over-aggressive behavior. This will become part of a storyline (discussed shortly) that sees his personality degrade and makes him grow even more resentful when Tony Stark eventually returns to the role of Iron Man. While this will not happen until after two other major events in Rhodes’ career as Iron Man, the seeds for that storyline are planted here.

Ready to Serve (top left) Meet Stark’s pilot Rhodey, in Iron Man #118 (Jan. 1979). By David Michelinie, John Byrne, and Bob Layton. (top right) The Mauler gets hosed by Rhodes in issue #156. (bottom right) An amazing 1979 commissioned illustration by Bob Layton featuring Iron Man and his cast, including the star of this article, James Rhodes. Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © Marvel.

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MARVEL SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS

Big Moment Rhodes begins to feel the weight of Stark’s armor on the splash to Iron Man #170. TM & © Marvel.

By the time of the 1984–1985 crossover maxiseries Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, the new Iron Man is no longer insecure or hesitant, nor does he lack the bravado of Tony Stark. James Rhodes now leaps into the fray without a second thought. But because he doesn’t personally know his fellow Avengers or the other heroes gathered to Secret Wars’ Battleworld, Rhodey’s lack of confidence returns during this conflict. We also see a hint of this in Iron Man #180 (Mar. 1984), in which Rhodes manages to thwart the Mandarin’s plan, despite being outclassed in combat by this classic Iron Man foe. In Secret Wars, Rhodes hasn’t had time to develop relationships with these other heroes—but they think of him as the original Iron Man, one of their most seasoned veterans, placing Rhodey under pressure and expectation. In all reality, he is a complete novice compared to them. Yet, there he is, on an alien planet, facing off against the worst supervillains there are, fighting against immeasurable power in the most chaotic conditions. While this is a far cry from his skirmish with the lightweight supervillain Termite (in Iron Man #189, Dec. 1984), Rhodes manages to pull off the deception admirably. Why not reveal to his allies that he is the “new” Iron Man? James has an unwillingness to reveal his identity

for two reasons. There is the need to protect Tony Stark’s reputation and privacy, but also the need for Rhodey to develop his own self-confidence and character. Since Rhodes lacks the scientific capability to service his own armor, he turns to the leader of the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards, for help. In Secret Wars #9 (Jan. 1985), he is forced to reveal to Reed that he is not Tony Stark. In his insecurity, he asks Richards if he was surprised to learn that there was a black man under the armor. Richards replies that it hadn’t crossed his mind, as he knew that there was a man under there. The Secret Wars event is Rhodey’s baptism of fire. From this, he returns to Earth with more combat experience, a greater familiarity with his armor, and a sense of belonging, having built relationships with the other heroes. At this point, he has graduated from sidekick to full replacement hero… but it isn’t his own identity he is known for, but Iron Man’s. There is a potential dichotomy behind this that O’Neil explores further beginning with Iron Man #188 (Dec. 1984) and beyond. We see a growing resentment between Stark and Rhodes develop in which the recovering alcoholic Tony, penniless and destitute because of the hostile takeover of Stark Industries by rival industrialist Obadiah Stane, is forced to take on a more subservient role as technical support, aided by former Stark employee Morley Erwin and his sister, Clytemnestra. The three form their own new company, Circuits Maximus, and the Iron Man comic takes on a new direction with a sober Stark now in an advisory capacity to the new Iron Man. For a little time longer, James Rhodes is still the principal character in the series. However, a new phenomenon has arisen. Rhodes’ numbing headaches become an issue that would see jealousy, resentment, and the resurfacing of those old insecurities that were so prominent before Secret Wars. It is these headaches that spur on the next stage of Rhodes’ development… but not until after his stint with the West Coast Avengers.

THE WEST COAST AVENGERS

West Coast Avengers #1–4 (Sept.–Dec. 1984), by writer Roger Stern and artists Bob Hall and Brett Breeding, was a memorable miniseries. It was based on the premise of hot-headed Avenger Hawkeye’s assertion that he could lead the Avengers as well as anyone. The Vision, the chairman of the Avengers at the time, decided to see if Hawkeye could back up his claims, and a California-based adjunct to the New York-based Avengers was born. Rhodey, as Iron Man, was among the West Coast Avengers’ roster. Denny O’Neil did his best to tie in Iron Man closely to Rhodey’s adventures out West, moving the series out to Silicon Valley, explaining why Iron Man would be situated to join the West Coast Avengers, even if just for a little while. The formation of the West Coast Avengers proved a testing ground for both Hawkeye and Jim Rhodes. When the Vision agrees to Hawkeye’s request for a California chapter of the superhero team, he puts out a general radio request to various Avengers within the western regions of the country. By virtue of the unique radio frequency the Iron Man suit reserves for Avengers’ transmissions, this includes a call to Iron Man. Rhodes responds to the call without hesitation, but is then saddled with the same unfamiliarity with the Avengers that he experienced in Secret Wars, and their belief that he is the “real” Iron Man. Not knowing that they have a rookie hero in their midst, Hawkeye, Tigra, and Mockingbird assume that their Iron Man is the fully capable Tony Stark. It isn’t until West Coast Avengers #3 (Nov. 1984) that Rhodes reveals to Tigra that he is not Tony Stark—but he keeps his identity secret until the next issue, when he reveals 22 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

luke mcdonnell Facebook.

Team Supreme From Heritage’s archives, a stunning example of the art team from the Rhodey-as-Iron Man era, Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell, signed by the artists and writer Denny O’Neil. From issue #177. TM & © Marvel.

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Maximus staff by Zodiac. Though Tony survives and seems to accept Jim’s choice, an underlying subtext suggests Stark’s resentment. However, the subsequent dialogue indicates that Stark had accepted the outcome despite no apology from Rhodes. In fact, the preceding conversation where Stark refers to Rhodes as Iron Man would also indicate that he had resigned his decision-making capacity in favor of whatever outcome that Rhodes went with. Tony’s return heralds a stark (no pun intended) revelation about Rhodey’s fate. It is a foregone conclusion for long-time Marvel fans that Stark should regain the mantle of Iron Man once more, but a transition awaits Rhodes before this can take place.

A FRIENDSHIP TESTED

Iron Man in Training (top) Rhodey gives himself a pep talk in these panels from Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #9. (bottom) The moment of truth with his fellow Avengers. From West Coast Avengers #4. TM & © Marvel.

to Hawkeye that while he may not be Tony Stark, he’s no “amateur Iron Man,” reminding him of how he saved other superheroes during the Secret Wars. Hawkeye’s comments bridle James Rhodes and strike at the heart of his insecurity, but it is an annoyance that is quickly put aside with Hawkeye’s recognition of the irony of the situation. Hawkeye has been in Rhodes’ place before, and the whole purpose of the West Coast Avengers was to address his own insecurities of leadership by giving him a chance to prove himself. Rhodes gets the same chance to prove himself with the team. Hawkeye regrets calling Rhodey an amateur, giving Iron Man the chance to become part of the team and assert himself as a full Avenger.

THE RETURN OF TONY STARK

Despite Rhodey’s newfound confidence and his assertion that Tony is his best friend, by issue #184 (July 1984) we see the early signs of resentment between the two men. Both make incorrect assumptions, cracking their friendship and threatening to remove Rhodes from the mantle of Iron Man. Stark agrees to come on board with Morley and Clytemnestra Erwin and Rhodey, and they begin a new chapter of their lives, making their way out to California to set up Circuit Maximus. There are hints about the growing enmity between Stark and Rhodes, expertly portrayed by writer O’Neil, subtle things like Rhodey choosing to rescue the Erwins over Stark in the attempted assassination of all of the Circuits

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James Rhodes’ agonizing headaches are proven to be a result of his mismatch of brainwave frequencies with the Iron Man helmet, which was personally calibrated for Tony Stark and not just generic device that Rhodey could have picked up on the fly. These headaches have a detrimental effect on Rhodey’s character and his relationships with the Circuits Maximus crew, but he focuses most of his anger at Stark. Minor irritations between best friends graduate into full animosity, representing the lowest moment in their relationship. The first page of issue #190 (Jan. 1985) sees a particularly tense moment when Rhodes dangles a malfunctioning jet boot in front of Tony Stark, demanding, “Here… it’s broken. You wanna fix it?” O’Neil’s accompanying exposition is perfect for the scene’s “ugly words, hanging like jet fumes.” Stark’s reaction is measured, but it’s apparent that the guilt of drinking himself into an oblivious state has made him the insecure one. With patience, he turns his attention to the boot and ignores the jibe at being the “hotshot inventor.” It is one of the first true moments of open hostility heralded by actual physicality. After seeing a new suit of Iron Man armor Stark has been working on, Rhodes throws Stark to the ground and crunches the armor chestplate he’d been working on, and storms out. Stark declares Rhodes to be seriously disturbed and in need of help. He knows James to be a “kind, decent, and brave” man and that this isn’t customary behavior for him. However, with the increasing erratic nature of Rhodey’s behavior, Stark realizes that a confrontation is forthcoming. By Iron Man #191, the new Iron Man demonstrates a colossal sense of disregard for public safety, a brashness that borders on neglect and lack of forethought. Rhodey is dangerous, but it’s out of concern for his friend that Stark struggles with the idea of becoming Iron Man once more to stop him. Stark chooses a re-creation of his original Iron Man armor with which to confront Rhodes… a lesser-powered suit worn by a recovering alcoholic going up against his best friend in a superior suit of armor. It’s a true case of the underdog doing the right thing for the right reason, a psychological test study on the pages of a superhero comic book. It is the value of James Rhodes’ friendship that finally propels Stark to don the suit of inferior Iron Man armor and confront him. Galvanized by Morley Erwin’s attempts to put on the suit first, Stark realizes that Rhodes is worth the effort of overcoming his identity issues and insecurities and becomes Iron Man once more in issue #191. He confronts Rhodes on a physical and emotional level and at the end of this conflict in #192, Rhodes reveals that the source of his anger is his fear that he is going to lose the only thing that really meant something to him. Out of enlisting in the Army, going to Viet Nam, and becoming a pilot, ever since he was a child, he only wanted to become a hero. In this issue, though not by choice, Stark is in the position to take that away from him.

Yet, he doesn’t. It isn’t until the next issue when, after a good night’s sleep and distance away from the armor, Rhodes admits to Stark that he knows “he’s been a jerk.” He offers the suit back to him, but Stark confesses that he doesn’t want to put on the armor again. It gave him a false sense of security, a faux invulnerability that separated him from other human beings and allowed him to easily lose his “soul to a bottle.” It is the armor that Stark fears most, and it is Rhodes to whom he readily admits that deeply personal secret. Stark also admits that he can’t admit this to anyone who hasn’t “been there,” indicating that Rhodes has achieved hero-level status. Tony gives the armor back to him and, not knowing that the armor is the source of Rhodes’ headaches and personality disorders, tells him to see Henry Pym to see what he can do about them. For a couple of issues (#193 and 194), we see both men trying to deal with the after-effects of a shared responsibility, and both as heroes cohabitating in the role of Iron Man. This may seem a minor thing, and a necessary plot device as Denny O’Neil reconciles the two characters, but it is important in gauging Rhodes’ character development to see him and Stark as equally superpowered peers in their own right, both working as Iron Man. This sets a vitally important precedent in preparing Jim Rhodes for his role as War Machine in the not-so-distant future. Iron Man #195 (June 1985) sets the record straight. With the assistance of Shaman of Alpha Flight, James Rhodes realizes that along with the circuitry affecting his brainwaves, it is also his own diminished sense of self-worth that is the source of his headaches and personality issues. A change in the Stark/Rhodes relationship comes when Stark starts to treat Rhodey as a peer—an equal. While Stark is suited in armor based on the first incarnation of Iron Man, it still allows him to serve an assist to Rhodes. They discuss strategy and tactics in overcoming foes together—as a partnership.

This is good therapy for Stark, but by #197 (Aug. 1985), both he and Rhodes are actively working together as equals as they deal with mutual obstacles. For instance, when Tony’s former girlfriend Bethany Cabe is abducted and calls Stark for his help, Stark actually abandons the chase in favor of helping Rhodes in combat with Secret Wars II’s Beyonder’s creation, Thundersword. Using the Beyonder’s near-infinite power, Stark regulates new power conduits from a nearby nuclear reactor to funnel energy to Rhodes, who confronts and defeats Thundersword. This is a different dynamic for Rhodes and Stark, propelling Rhodes into the forefront, with Stark acting in a support role. It is these incidents that reinforce Stark’s commitment to the man who has been Iron Man while Stark has been wrestling with his Iron Man identity. This healing stage is not only good for Stark’s eventual reclamation of the Iron Man identity, but psychologically and physically helpful for Rhodes. His visit with Shaman not only restores his soul but also his mind in that he was able to support Stark past his insecurities.

BFF! (Best Friends Fight!) Iron Men clash in Iron Men #192 (Mar. 1985), by O’Neil, McDonnell, and the inking team of Akin and Garvey. (bottom) By story’s end, they’re pals again. TM & © Marvel.

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THE ANNIVERSARY ISSUE AND THE SILVER CENTURION ARMOR

We see the transformations of both Stark and Rhodes in the bicentennial issue, Iron Man #200 (Nov. 1985). Tony regains the mantle of Iron Man, and Rhodey settles for being relegated back to “second banana” status. We see a familiar rhythm return to this comic with Rhodes once more handling the background responsibilities of a supporting character, while Tony Stark has been galvanized back into being Iron Man spurred on by the murder of Morley Erwin by Obadiah Stane. Despite david michelinie Rhodey’s character maturation, with issue #200 Iron Man returns to status quo. Two issues later, in #202, guest writer Danny Fingeroth provides insight in the personal reflections of both characters as they put the new Silver Centurion version of the Iron Man armor through its paces. While Stark is contemplating his own issues, we see nothing but respect for him from Rhodes’ insights. Rhodey acknowledges that it isn’t the suit, “but the man inside it.” He knows from the experience the thrill that Stark is experiencing in testing out the new armor, and he also has a love of being the Armored Avenger. Despite its obsolete nature in comparison to the new silver armor, Rhodey doubts that he’ll ever need to use the red and gold Iron Man suit again. However, the fact that he still has access to it hints that sooner or later, he will get the chance to be Iron Man in some form. It’s this moment that integrally binds Rhodey to the Iron Man saga. He is no longer a minor character. He may still be a supporting one, but his experience, his revitalized friendship with Stark, and the fact that he knows how to use the suit as a backup Iron Man make him indispensable to the comic. While the main focus of the storylines has returned to Tony Stark as the returned Iron Man, James Rhodes’ role in the story is no longer a minor one. Rhodey proves his indispensability in a number of ways. He acts as a test supervisor for the Silver

Double Your Pleasure Iron Man’s ironclad creative team of David Michelinie and Bob Layton returned with issue #215 (Feb. 1987), featuring this powerful Tony/Rhodey cover by Mark Bright and Layton. TM & © Marvel.

Centurion armor, he intimidates and interrogates for Stark, and he even manages to act as Tony’s representative as he approaches organizations to raise funds for Stark’s new business initiatives as the former Stark International untangles from its Stane control. Rhodey is more than just a stand-in—he proves himself to be the friend that Stark needs time and time again. By #206 he is Stark’s pilot once more, flying a space shuttle to take equipment up to Stark’s new business enterprise, a space station to monitor satellites in orbit. What’s significant in this issue is that Rhodes is tempted to take the original Iron Man armor bob layton with him but denies himself the opportunity in deference to Stark © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. being the only Iron Man, saying, “Tin-suitin’ around was fun, but it was something that came and went. I’m past it now. Tony’s Iron Man enough. Sure was fun, though.” However, in this issue, Rhodes gets a great deal of attention. The sabotage of Rhodes’ shuttle calls Iron Man away from protecting the mismatched Hawkeye and Mockingbird from the gargantuan villain now using the familiar Marvel name of Goliath. However, Stark doesn’t think twice. He quickly places the two Avengers in a temporary protective cage and flies immediately into orbit to rescue Rhodes. The Iron Man armor that Rhodes has at his disposal is clearly an advantage that he could use, yet something inside Rhodey tells him that the title of “Iron Man” belongs to Tony Stark. He refuses to put on the original red and gold suit, even though it would be a clear asset to their mutual cause. He states this to Tony in issue #207 (June 1986), despite the fact that their shuttle has clearly been sabotaged and the presence of a superpowered hero would be useful. He acts as astronaut, technical support, and even personal advisor as Stark rebuilds his identities as Iron Man and industrial entrepreneur. What stands out in these issues is the measure and worthiness of Jim and Tony’s friendship. However, Rhodey develops an insecurity complex during this time. In Iron Man #211 (Oct. 1986), by guest writer Howard Mackie, he knows he can be an Iron Man—if not the Iron Man—and denies himself the chance to assist Tony out of an opinion that he could never measure up to his friend, a perspective that gets in the way of his own identity. It’s in this issue where Tony actively advocates for his friend to put on the “Gold and Red” and gets an avowed resistance from Jim. This moment that sets the groundwork for Rhodes to realize his own heroic identity, one that is on an equal but different basis than Stark. In this issue, he actively reconsiders putting the suit

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back on again by recalling all of the instances where he bested supervillains like Goliath and the Mandarin… even the Secret Wars come to mind. These memories recall his heroic successes and qualities and even set a pretext for Rhodes to become War Machine in special armor that Stark eventually develops. In the meantime, these issues are crucial to understanding the level of friendship that exists between Stark and Rhodes. Simply put, Stark cannot succeed without Rhodes’ presence, and Rhodey’s indispensability is assured. Rhodes puts on the armor and in #211, and teams up with Tony to defeat the Living Laser in his new incarnation as … a living laser beam. With their combined victory, Rhodey is ready to accept his role as becoming an Iron Man again and learning how to become a better one under Stark’s guidance.

THE ARMOR WARS

With Iron Man #215 (Feb. 1987), Iron Man’s dream team, co-plotter/writer David Michelinie and co-plotter/ inker/artist Bob Layton, returned to the series after few years’ absence, following several fill-in writers who had succeeded Denny O’Neil. Both were surprised to see the longevity of James Rhodes. According to Bob Layton, “We had no idea that Jim Rhodes would be such a mainstay when David and I created him back in Iron Man #118. He evolved from a small supporting role into a large one in our storylines. I don’t think Dave or I knew at the time how big he would become in the series. “Remember, there weren’t a lot of strong AfricanAmerican characters in the Marvel Universe at that time, and David and I wanted to give Tony a foil with a dissimilar background to his own,” Layton adds. “One of the biggest problems with comics in general is that few are couched in the real world these days. Everyone is a mutant or alien or cyborg. The supporting

characters exist to ground the reader in a sense of reality. Through their eyes, we witness the fantastic and react in a believable manner. Rhodey was created by David and me to ground Tony Stark’s fantastic exploits in some degree of reality.” Issues #225 (Dec. 1987) to 232 (July 1988), Michelinie and Layton’s popular “Armor Wars” storyline, give Rhodey more of an opportunity to do Stark’s legwork. The repercussions of Obadiah Stane’s hostile takeover of Stark Industries included an unexpected side-effect for a revitalized Tony Stark to manage in his enterprises: the theft and proliferation of Stark technology by villains around the globe, obligating Stark, with Rhodey by his side, to hunt it all down and reclaim or destroy it. The first few pages of #225 show us where Rhodey should be: behind the scenes, managing a test demonstration for Iron Man, ensuring the delivery of a defense contract for the fledgling Stark Enterprises, and helping maintain Iron Man’s secret identity. Rhodes’ assistance is invaluable. But he demonstrates

Altered Egos The Mandarin manipulates Stark into this brutal battle with his friend Rhodes in Iron Man #262 (Nov. 1990), Part 5 of “Armor Wars II,” by John Byrne, John Romita, Jr., and Bob Wiacek. TM & © Marvel.

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humility with the statement: “I just hope the Washington bigwigs don’t find out these tests were run by Tony Stark’s pilot.” Tony contests, “You’ve been more than a pilot for some time, Rhodey.” In the following pages, Rhodey walks into the lab to discover an enraged Stark destroying equipment. The discovery of an electronics component designed by Tony in the villain Force’s armor spurs him on to cross-reference a list from the West Coast Avengers’ files of other villains who have also gained access to Stark technology. When the list includes high-powered menaces like Dr. Doom, the Titanium Man, the Crimson Dynamo, and a multitude of others, Tony’s guilt is overwhelming: “How many have drawn blood with my sword?” Stark shares an openly emotional moment with Rhodes. Rhodey’s remarkably tacit response is that of a concerned and compassionate confidant, yet despite its simplicity, it perfectly reflects his personality and his unwavering support for Tony Stark: “I’ll drive.” The next seven issues in this memorable arc see Stark and Rhodes track down and destroy the missing technology. This causes diplomatic incidents, the deception of the American government and S.H.I.E.L.D., fights with fellow heroes, and a public-relations nightmare for Stark Enterprises. This culminates with the faked “death” of Iron Man, the destruction of the Silver Centurion armor, and the return of Iron Man in the familiar red-and-gold colors. James Rhodes is generally visible as Stark’s right-hand man, even infiltrating the supervillain holding facility “the Vault” and going up against the likes of Steve Rogers (the Captain). By this point in the story, over 100 issues of Iron Man have established the canonical legitimacy of the partnership between James Rhodes and Tony Stark. It has been a journey of relationship building and testing the limits of their friendship, but the commonality these two men share, aside from their mutual respect for each other, is the experience both of them have had being Iron Man.

BYRNE AND KAMINSKI

Big Bang (top) James Rhodes in armor all his own, as War Machine. The explosive cover to Iron Man #282 (July 1992), by Kevin Hopgood and Bob Wiacek. (bottom) At last, War Machine in his own title—with a silverembossed cover, to boot! Issue #1 (Apr. 1994) cover art by Gabriel Gecko. TM & © Marvel.

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The issues after the “Armor Wars” arc see the departure of Michelinie and Layton with Iron Man #250 (Dec. 1989), fill-in writers and artists, and the arrival of the superbly talented John Byrne as writer (teamed with artists John Romita, Jr. and Bob Wiacek) with Iron Man #258 (July 1990)… and eventually, sci-fi specialist writer, Len Kaminski following Byrne. Byrne’s stories would set the stage for a new development of James Rhodes’ character that would see him as not just a sidekick any more but would pave the way for him to become a hero in his own right once again. “Armor Wars II” wasn’t a title that Byrne chose, but it had already been editorially selected before he began to write the stories. The arc ran from Iron Man #258 through issue #266 (Mar. 1991). Byrne created Iron Man’s “encephalo-circuitry,” which allowed Stark to control the armor from afar. Byrne was also excited to be writing James Rhodes as well, who he puts back into the original red-and-gold suit of armor as Rhodey and Stark team up to defeat the super-armored foe Kearson DeWitt. Beginning in Iron Man #261 (Oct. 1990), Rhodes substitutes for Stark again and faces off against Fin Fang Foom and eventually, the Mandarin, Iron Man’s most prominent villain. In Iron Man #268 (May 1991), with artists Paul Ryan and Bob Wiacek, Byrne retells Iron Man’s origin story, with slight modifications including Rhodey’s inclusion to the overall legend. Before Byrne leaves the series with issue #277 (Feb. 1992), Tony Stark had given James Rhodes permission to once more become Iron Man—Byrne’s good-bye gift to one of the characters he had a particular fondness for. It was also a precedent that the incoming writer would pick up on. Issue #278 (Mar. 1992) starts Len Kaminsky’s run on Iron Man, with Ryan and Wiacek remaining on art. During his stint, he upgrades Stark’s Iron Man armor and creates the War Machine armor, which Rhodey triumphantly wears on the iconic cover of Iron Man #282 (July 1992).

Stark’s health is also plummeting, and in #284, he actually appears to die, leaving the control of Stark Enterprises to Rhodes. Tony’s last recording, perfectly scripted by Kaminski, sum up his impression of his confidant: “If you’re seeing this, Jim… I’m dead. Behind me is a full and productive life… and some unfinished business. That’s why I’ve recorded this. Chances are, while I was alive, I never told you what a good friend you’ve been to me. I want you to know that no man ever had a truer or more steadfast friend than I did in you. Which makes it all the more difficult for to ask you to take on the burden that I’m about to— but I hope that you’ll understand why I feel I must. Jim, someone has to carry on for me. The world needs Iron Man.” No longer just Stark’s pilot, Jim Rhodes has now been promoted to the position of Vice-President of Operations for Stark Enterprises, essentially Stark’s heir and successor, and an Armored Avenger in his own right.

HOW DO YOU REPLACE A HERO?

However, the world really needs Jim Rhodes more than it does Iron Man. The Iron Man suit is a weapon— a device that can be used for good or for evil purposes. The armor itself doesn’t matter, as James Rhodes had already pointed out in his first stint as being Iron Man— what matters is the man inside it. Iron Man #284 is not the end of Tony Stark, not by a long stretch. But it is a moment that can be regarded as a logical step in recognizing the depth of the Stark/ Rhodes relationship and the nature of Rhodey’s character. To replace a man like Tony Stark requires a search of the finest detail. How do you replace a hero? In the comics, Rhodes has been Stark’s employee, antagonist, fellow raconteur, guardian, and fellow superhero. Even the Marvel Studios Iron Man and Avengers film franchises convey this meteoric relationship. The portrayals of Rhodey by Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle perfectly capture these sentiments, as this his bit of dialogue from Iron Man 3 shows: TONY STARK: I’m gonna find a heavy-duty comm sat now, I need your login. JAMES RHODES: It’s same as it’s always been, “WarMachine68.” TONY STARK: And a password, please. JAMES RHODES: Well, look, I gotta change it every time you hack in, Tony. TONY STARK: It’s not the ’80s, nobody says “hack” anymore. Give me your login. JAMES RHODES: “WAR MACHINE ROX” with an “X,” all caps. [laughs] Yeah, okay.

TONY STARK: JAMES RHODES:

TONY STARK: That is so much better than “Iron Patriot.”

Of course, this means War (Machine)! (top) Tony Stark’s second-in-command James Rhodes appeared in 16 of the 26 episodes in the two seasons of TV’s animated Iron Man series (1994–1996), with Dorian Harewood providing his voice. War Machine cel from the series, courtesy of Heritage. (bottom) Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark and Don Cheadle as James Rhodes, from 2013’s Iron Man 3. TM & © Marvel/Marvel Studios.

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Long Rhodes to Stardom (top) A Rhodey recap by writer Kurt Busiek in Iron Man #12 (Jan. 1999). Original Patrick Zircher/ Larry Mahlstedt art courtesy of Heritage. (bottom) War Machine covers from 2001 and 2009. TM & © Marvel.

Humor aside, in the end, it’s his integrity, his humility, and his recognition of the power he has been given that make James Rhodes the perfect choice for this role. It’s not that Rhodey is a substitute, though. In the years since Iron Man #280, he has proven himself worthy enough to be a hero in his own right. Iron Man is Tony Stark’s story, yet for approximately 30 issues, Rhodes was Iron Man. When the War Machine armor was constructed, Rhodey now had his own, and much deserved, superhero identity. Films, by their nature, have to possess a more abbreviated character history. We are very quickly introduced to Rhodey and have to grasp the relationship between him and Stark. An audience doesn’t have five or six years of comic storytelling to learn from, but the writers of these films were able to provide the essence of the characters’ relationship based on those volumes of Marvel comic books written by Byrne, Michelinie, Layton, O’Neil, and others. But Rhodes’ sterling qualities are characteristics for all to see. After Stark’s death in Iron Man #284 is revealed to have been faked, a bitter Rhodes walks away from their relationship (for now). But other opportunities followed—S.H.I.E.L.D., O*N*E, his own salvage company, or the Superhuman Registration Act—in which he served not just as a superhero stand-in but as an independent hero in his own right. There has always been a constant return to armor in one shape or another. Whether it was in the War Machine or the later Iron Patriot armor, as we witness in his own solo title War Machine #1 in 1994, James Rhodes is still a hero either way. How do you replace a hero? Simple: with another hero. It doesn’t matter his wealth, who he knows, or the color of his skin. It’s his heart. We’ve seen enough of these things in James Rhodes’ journey. He has demonstrated the essence of what is needed to stand in a hero’s stead. Nobility of character is the quality, and that needs to be emulated in role models more than ever in these trying times. Rhodes’ first appearance in Iron Man #118 heralded the blueprint for what would be needed to replace Tony Stark. Rhodey’s background had to be fundamentally different in order for their shared qualities to be evident. Both are heroes, but for different reasons and different causes. However, they both demonstrate, time and time again through shared adventures, that they have the capacity to put their own welfare secondary to the needs of others. Putting aside his own issues for the sake of others is what qualifies someone to be a hero. While the end of this James Rhodes’ journey is yet to come, he still travels it, and he is an accomplished hero who can stand in for—and stand side-byside with—Tony Stark or any other mighty champion in the Marvel Universe. JOHN KIRK is a librarian and English teacher with the Toronto District School Board in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who incorporates comics and comics history into his classroom teaching.

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JACK KIRBY’S DINGBAT LOVE

In cooperation with DC COMICS, TwoMorrows compiles a tempestuous trio of never-seen 1970s Kirby projects! These are the final complete, unpublished Jack Kirby stories in existence, presented here for the first time! Included are: Two unused DINGBATS OF DANGER STREET tales (Kirby’s final Kid Gang group, inked by MIKE ROYER and D. BRUCE BERRY, and newly colored for this book)! TRUE-LIFE DIVORCE, the abandoned newsstand magazine that was too hot for its time (reproduced from Jack’s pencil art—and as a bonus, we’ve commissioned MIKE ROYER to ink one of the stories)! And SOUL LOVE, the unseen ’70s romance book so funky, even a jive turkey will dig the unretouched inks by VINCE COLLETTA and TONY DeZUNIGA. PLUS: There’s Kirby historian JOHN MORROW’s in-depth examination of why these projects got left back, concept art and uninked pencils from DINGBATS, and a Foreword by former 1970s Kirby assistant MARK EVANIER! SHIPS DEC. 2019! (160-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $14.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-091-5

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A Monster Thor???! Fandom gasped when Walter Simonson introduced Beta Ray Bill on the cover of The Mighty Thor #337 (Nov. 1983)—and the hot-selling issue soon disappeared from comic shops and spin racks. TM & © Marvel.

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by S

tephan Friedt

Beta Ray Bill has had a sporadic history as a character. Shortly after Walter Simonson’s introduction of the character in the pages of The Mighty Thor (herewith Thor), Bill was relegated to appearing only occasionally, usually in a one-page appearance giving some hint of his soap-opera-like life. After Walt left Thor, there would be months, sometimes years, between Beta Ray Bill’s appearances… writers would use him as a secondary or background character, some leaving his condition hanging. In many instances he received no more than a cameo appearance just to keep his memory alive. Some writers would take him to heart, devoting full stories to his interactions with other characters: Ron Marz and Mark Gruenwald come to mind, and much later in his history, Michael Avon Oeming and Dan Berman. Bill was always intended to be a hero… but he was drawn as a monster.

structure of a beautiful animal underneath the monster to give this dichotomy between the monstrous and the beautiful in the same face.” How did Simonson come up with the name “Beta Ray Bill”? “I chose the name for its alliterative qualities,” he said in the Kirby Collector interview. “Originally I was going to call him ‘Beta Ray Jones,’ because I really wanted a common name. My feeling was, ‘Bill’ was ‘Everyman’ for this alien race. Whatever his real name was, it didn’t matter. It was as close as the universal translating machine could come to his real name, which was unpronounceable by human lips. I deleted ‘Jones’ because Louise Jones was working at Marvel, they had a Rick Jones in The Hulk, they had Indiana Jones at the time; there were too many Joneses floating around the Marvel Universe.” Walt would elaborate more at a Thor Spotlight panel at Baltimore Comic-Con (August 28, 2010), as reported by Matt McGloin of CosmicBookNews.com. “I had done a lot of stories and had a lot of fun doing them, but a lot of them weren’t groundbreaking,” walter simonson Simonson commented. “I did want to do something IF HE BE WORTHY © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. that hadn’t been done before though. Beta Ray Bill sprang from the mind of Walt Simonson, “One of the cool things about Thor was the enchantment around writer and artist of Thor, who rolled out the character in a four-issue adventure in issues #337–340 (Nov. 1983–Feb. 1984), in what would [the hammer] Mjolnir and the original inscription on it. So I thought, become Walt’s longest story arc at the time. ‘Well, that means someone else can pick up this hammer and get this In Jon B. Cooke’s interview the creator (“Walt Simonson Interviewed”) power if they’re worthy!’ Since then, some other big characters, in The Jack Kirby Collector #14 (June 2004), Simonson explained, people’s favorites, have picked up the hammer—Captain America, “I wanted to start fresh, and I thought a new character would be the Superman, whoever—but at this point, no one had ever picked up the way to go on that. My thinking was that comics are a short form, hammer. I liked the idea of Cap walking to the bathroom and seeing and one of the things that’s mostly true about comics is characters are it, and grabbing and just tugging, not being able to. So this had to be what they look like; the good guys are handsome, the bad guys are someone new. This is the most powerful weapon of the Norse gods.” ugly. It’s not always that way, but basically that’s what it is. Mjolnir, of course, is as significant to Thor’s history as is the Thunder “I designed Bill deliberately as a monster, because I knew that people God himself. would look at it and go, ‘Oh, my God, it’s this evil guy.’ I deliberately Simonson went on to explain the history of the hammer: “This wrote them so you weren’t sure in the beginning if he was a good guy or hammer is a killing weapon. It’s used to kill Frost Giants and others. a bad guy. His face was designed around a horse’s skull, partly because So Superman couldn’t pick it up, because he’s never going to kill anyone, horses are quite beautiful. I thought it’d be kind of cool to have the and the hammer knows that. Captain America, he’s too patriotic. Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 35

He’s too much a symbol of America to be chosen by this Norse artifact. So he couldn’t get it. So I created Bill because he’s noble, and he’s designed to kill. He’s got a great purpose as a warrior, and also the noble ability. That makes him ‘worthy,’ whatever that may be.” At the Baltimore Comic-Con, Simonson addressed the initial reader reaction to Beta Ray Bill’s monstrous appearance. “I got letters after the first issue that said, ‘What on Earth? Why is this monster picking up the hammer, what’s wrong with you?’” Yet Walt’s new character, designed with “a sense of death, a sense of monster, underlined by beauty,” soon won over readers. “His costume was the same, so that the minute you see the image, when he strikes the stick and becomes ‘Beta Ray Thor’ or whatever, you know… ‘Okay, that guy has the powers of Thor.’”

IF I HAD A HAMMER

I Am Worthy, Hear Me Roar (top) Bill gets a surge of Odin Power and becomes Thor for the first time in Simonson’s Thor #337. (bottom) Bill meets Odin, in #338. TM & © Marvel.

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Bill’s story starts in “Doom!” in Thor #337. Walt graced the issue with a Kirby-style cover of Bill in full Thor costume, breaking through the comic’s logo with Thor’s hammer. The story begins with the agency S.H.I.E.L.D. detecting an alien ship in our solar system. The ship absorbs stars to refuel. S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury surprises Dr. Don Blake in Chicago, revealing he is well aware of Dr. Blake’s alter ego, Thor. Fury briefs Dr. Blake, who has now returned to his Thor identity, and asks him to investigate the ship. Thor does, and after a short battle, he forces his way into the ship… only to find it empty and healing itself like a living being. Because of the intrusion the ship activates its sleeping defense—Beta Ray Bill! Bill is as big and strong as Thor, decked out in his full battle uniform. Bill and Thor go toe-to-toe in a battle where we learn, thanks to Bill’s ongoing banter, that the ship has a name, Skuttlebutt. He also reveals that the ship has the capability to download languages and skills to Bill while he in suspended animation, thereby allowing him to understand and converse with his invader. Thor and Bill’s hand-to-hand battle (with Thor’s hammer lying on the floor) damages the ship enough that it seeks a planet to land on for repairs, Earth being the closest candidate. As it nears the world, the earthbound quality of Thor’s hammer Mjolnir (that it not leave Thor’s grip for more than 60 seconds or he reverts to his mortal shell of Dr. Blake) takes effect. Bill takes the opening and strikes, knocking Dr. Blake unconscious. Skuttlebutt lands and is quickly surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D agents. Bill notices Blake’s cane on the floor where Thor’s hammer had fallen and picks it up and swings it, striking it against the wall. He is immediately engulfed in light and becomes a Beta Ray Bill version of Thor, complete with hammer! As Simonson explained, “We all know, if you read Thor, that ‘Whosoever holds the hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.’ That’s on the hammer, those are the rules. So my job as a writer is to create a character that people will be worried about. How can this guy lift the hammer? The obvious answer is, ‘Well, he must be worthy.’ But you want them to think, ‘Oh, my God, something’s gone terribly wrong.’ Maybe Simonson can’t write, or Odin’s dead, or who knows?’” Looking like Thor, hammer and all, Bill proceeds to battle Fury and his agents, much to their surprise. But as soon as the battle begins, Odin summons his son Thor back to Asgard for an emergency, pulling Bill and Mjolnir “home” and leaving Don Blake looking lost in the commotion on Earth. Walt again channels Jack Kirby for his cover featuring Bill and Thor going head-to-head in Thor #338 in “A Fool and His Hammer…” Finding himself transported to Asgard, a confused Bill fights against the surprised Asgardians until Odin realizes the error… and is shocked that here is another being worthy of the mantel of Thor. Odin then calls his real son home, and offers Bill the hospitality of Asgard. Sitting on “Hlidskjalf,” the high seat, where you can see all of the nine worlds, Odin asks Bill to relate his origin.

Bill gives us the background on his people, the Korbinites: “Mine is an ancient and noble race that has lived in the heart of a galaxy since time immemorial. … Until without warning, the core of our galaxy exploded, destroying much of our civilization. The survivors were forced to flee…” Then, in noble, Silver Surfer-like fashion, Bill tells us, “I alone was chosen to be the guardian of our exodus. And so I was changed to suit my task. Our scientists took the most ferocious carnivore of our empire and bio-engineered it to produce a warrior of surprising skill and strength. When all was made ready, my soul was fitted to the body….” Bill continues, “I was given a warship to ride, the Skuttlebutt, who has become my companion and friend.” The rest of the surviving population was put into suspended animation and sent out into space in 10,000 ships. Bill relates that they were set upon by a “horde of demons” that came from the fiery core of the remnants of their galaxy… pursuing the fleet and destroying the ones they caught up with. Bill states that the enchanted hammer is just what he needs to battle the demons, so he’s reluctant to give it up. Odin sets up a battle between the two of them for the right to wield Mjolnir, taking place in the fiery realm of Skartheim. They battle, with Thor being defeated due to Bill’s greater resistance to the heat. But Bill also rescues Thor, realizing he is a worthy warrior. They are transported back to Asgard, where Bill declares, “Lord Odin, your son yet lives. The finest foe I have ever fought. But I have bested him and the hammer is mine!”

THE COMING OF STORMBREAKER

In the third issue, “Something Old, Something New…” (Thor #339), Walt greets us with unmistakable “Walt Simonson” cover art. We find the two warriors recuperating in Asgard, Lady Sif having more of an appreciation than any of the other female Asgardians for Bill’s accomplishments, in spite of his appearance. While both of the warriors are down with injuries, Odin goes to Eitri, master smith of the dwarves, to ask him to make a second hammer. Eitri balks at Odin’s request, requiring that some reparation take place for all of the wrongs done to the dwarves over the years by the Asgardians. Eitri suggests that Asgard send their best female warrior to battle their best male warrior. If she wins, they’ll make the new hammer. If she losses, she stays as their champion’s chattel. Lady Sif takes the task upon herself to battle for Asgard, her newfound feelings for Bill as her incentive. She battles Throgg, defeats him, and Eitri agrees to build a second hammer. Sif returns to Asgard and reveals her feelings to Bill, but he is afraid his transformation removed any humanity he had left to return the feelings. Odin transports the lot of them to the forges of the dwarves to witness the creation of the new hammer. Upon its creation, Bill takes it up and is once again transformed into a Thor look alike, but now with his own hammer, “Stormbreaker” (originally “Storm Breaker”). Odin returns Mjolnir to Thor and reveals that he has seen the fiery demons still pursuing and soon catching up with Bill’s remaining people. Odin gives his blessing and Thor and Bill together with Lady Sif, head out to save the last of the Korbinites. “Though Hel Should Bar the Way!” (Thor #340) is once again graced with an unmistakable Walt Simonson cover. Thor, Beta Ray Bill, and Lady Sif come upon the end of what’s left of the Korbinite fleet under attack from the demon horde. During the ensuing battle, Lady Sif tells Thor and Bill to find the source of the stream of

demons and cut it off at the source, while she stays with Skuttlebutt and the remaining fleet battling the demons. Thor and Bill follow the horde back to what was once Bill’s home planet and find it replaced with a glowing portal streaming a seemingly endless horde of demons. To destroy the portal, Thor suggests both he and Bill throw their hammers simultaneously at the heart of the portal. The combined power succeeds in destroying the portal, at which point the demons fade from existence. Thor, Bill, Lady Sif, and Skuttlebutt return to Asgard, where a feast is prepared to honor the returning heroes. As a gift to Bill, Odin imparts a spell on Stormbreaker. Upon striking the shaft of the hammer on the ground, Bill is transformed into his original Korbinite form and the hammer becomes a cane, just like Thor’s relationship with Mjolnir. This gives Bill some respite from his depression over forever being in the form of Beta Ray Bill. Bill takes leave of Asgard and continues on his search for a planet suitable for his remaining people, but this time with Lady Sif as his companion.

A Hammer of His Own Due to its sensational ongoing storyline, Thor #339 (Jan. 1984) largely escaped the fun lunacy that was Marvel Assistant Editors’ Month as the hammer Stormbreaker is forged for Bill. TM & © Marvel.

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A Little Help from My Friends (left) Beta Ray Bill’s back in the pages of Thor, in issue #350 (Dec. 1984). (right) Bill and buds (Mr. Fantastic, the Vision, Colossus, Captain Marvel, and the Warriors Three) mix it up with demons on the cover of issue #354 (Feb. 1985). While shown on the cover, Colossus doesn’t appear inside. Both covers by Simonson. TM & © Marvel.

BETA RAY BILL RETURNS

Beta Ray Bill would return to the Marvel Universe on the one-year anniversary of his creation, summoned to Asgard by Odin on the last page of Thor #349 (Nov. 1984) to battle the restored fire demon, Surtur. It is revealed that Surtur’s efforts to build a forge to rebuild his battle sword, “Twilight,” caused the destruction of Beta Ray Bill’s galaxy in the first place. This makes defeating Surtur for revenge in honor of his people as much a responsibility of Bill’s as it is of Thor’s to prevent Surtur from bringing about Ragnarok. “Ragnarok and Roll” in Thor #350 (Dec. 1984) begins with a great Walt Simonson cover of Bill and Thor side-by-side leaping into battle. The story, again all words and art by Walt, starts with Odin summoning Beta Ray Bill and Lady Sif home to Asgard from their travels protecting Bill’s remaining Korbinites. The Korbinites have the living ship, Skuttlebutt, and a spell from Odin to protect them in the absence of Bill and Sif. Odin reveals the threat to Asgard: “He is Surtur from the land of Muspelheim, the oldest of all who live! And the enemy of all who cherish living! He has forged a great sword! Now he seeks a path to Asgard to reach the ‘Eternal Flame’ kept within the walls of the golden city. For if he can ignite his sword therein, nothing will be able to prevent him from setting all the nine worlds to the torch, and destroying the universe itself!” Thor, Beta Ray Bill, Lady Sif, and all of the warriors of Asgard head to Midgard (Earth). There, Surtur and his hordes are gathering in the Sahara Desert, preparing to attack New York. Surtur seeks to gain the Rainbow Bridge between Earth and Asgard as a means to reach Asgard. Only Odin and Heimdall remain behind on Asgard to guard the Eternal Flame. Thor goes on ahead of the Asgardian army to warn the Avengers in Avengers #249 (Nov. 1984). During the battle between Thor and the Avengers against Surtur and his demon hordes, Beta Ray and Sif arrive with the Asgardians. Surtur sets New York on fire and Thor attempts to quench the fire with rain. In the chaos, Surtur leaves his hordes to battle the heroes and gains the Rainbow Bridge to Asgard. In “Ragnarok and Roll, Too” in Thor #351 (Jan. 1985), Thor leaves Earth to assist Odin and Heimdall in Asgard battling Surtur. Beta Ray

Bill is left in charge of Lady Sif, the Warriors Three, and the combined might of all of New York’s heroes including the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, to battle the hordes of demons. “Ragnarok and Ruin” in Thor #352 (Feb. 1985) gives us a great Beta Ray Bill cover by Walt, with Bill leading the heroes in battle against the hordes. While Odin and Thor battle Surtur in Asgard, Bill, with the help of the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards, tries to stem the seemingly endless hordes of demons. Reed figures out how their dimensional bridge works and sets it up for Bill and the Asgardian warriors to use the bridge to reach the hordes still waiting in the Sahara, thereby stopping the hordes at the source. “Doom II” in Thor #353 (Mar. 1985) brings Loki, Thor, and Odin together against Surtur in Asgard, destroying the Rainbow Bridge in the process, while Beta Ray Bill, Hercules, She-Hulk, and others battle the demon hordes in the Sahara between the gate the demons used to reach New York and the gate they used to reach Earth. Suddenly through the dimensional gate to Earth bursts Balder the Brave, Karnilla the Norn Queen, and more warriors to battle the demons. Bill, Hercules, She-Hulk, and Vision manage to topple the dimensional gate, sealing the gateway, destroying most of the demons, and stopping the constant flow. Meanwhile, in Asgard, Odin has defeated Surtur but has been lost in the process. “Picking Up the Pieces” in Thor #354 (Apr. 1985) wraps up everything. Bill mentions a side adventure with the Avengers battling Wraith with ROM and lots of other heroes. Detailed in the pages of ROM: Spaceknight #65 (also Apr. 1985): Bill manages to share the cover with Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, and ROM himself with art by Steve Leialoha and P. Craig Russell. The story inside is by Bill Mantlo, with art by the comics great, the late Steve Ditko, and Beta Ray Bill is just one of many heroes depicted in the issue. Jumping back to Thor #354, Beta Ray Bill, Sif, and the Warriors Three are left in New York awaiting transportation back to Asgard, or the repair of the Rainbow Bridge, whichever happens first. Bill makes a brief appearance in Thor #355 (May 1985). Walt Simonson writes it, but fill-in artist Sal Buscema handles the art. We get a few

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Come to Daddy… Actually, Daddy—Beta Ray Bill’s creator, Walter Simonson—returned to his Thor hit character in 2007 for this incredible specialty illustration. According to Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com), which contributed this scan, this art sold in auction for $2868! TM & © Marvel.

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The Beta Ray Beat Goes On Early Bill guest appearances in (top) ROM #65 (Apr. 1985) and (bottom) Power Pack #15 (Oct. 1985). Cover art by Steve Leialoha and P. Craig Russell, and June Brigman and Bob Wiacek, respectively. TM & © Marvel, except ROM © Hasbro.

panels of Bill in his normal guise walking and talking with Lady Sif. We are also given a sneak peek at Bill’s future foes, an armored gang. Bill is not in Thor #356, as it’s a fill-in to give Walt some breathing room. Thor #357 (July 1985) gives us a great split-screen cover by Walt Simonson, with Thor on one side and Beta Ray Bill on the other. The story inside shares time with Bill and Sif building on their relationship, Bill fighting some thieves with advanced mechanical suits, and Sif deciding to return to Asgard with an idea of how get everyone back to Asgard. Bill goes solo on the cover of Thor #358 (Aug. 1985), by Simonson. Inside, Bill’s adventures in New York continue. Once again the mechanized crooks appear, but now we learn they are being led by Titanium Man. Bill eventually defeats Titanium Man and saves New York. Bill has a brief appearance in Thor #359 (Sept. 1985). He speaks with Sif before she leaves for Asgard. Sif deals with Thor and his problems under the influence of Lorelei, and tells Thor her idea for breaching the distance between Earth and Asgard. Thor will twirl his hammer, creating a bridge from Asgard at the same time that Beta Ray Bill is twirling Stormbreaker, creating a bridge from Earth that allows all of the Asgardian Warriors to return home, except for the Warriors Three… who are nowhere to be seen.

HOPPING AROUND

We jump titles again for Bill’s next appearance. He figures prominently on the cover of Power Pack #15 (Oct. 1985), whirling his hammer and creating a gateway, thanks to June Brigman and Bob Wiacek, who also handle the art chores for the interior story. Walt’s wife, Louise Simonson, handles the writing for this issue which has the Warriors Three interacting with Power Pack, but only has Bill in four panels, creating the bridge… so this is not much more than a cameo. Bill then makes a one-panel appearance in Secret Wars II #6 (Dec. 1985), by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom. The Beyonder observes Bill battling Kurse, which is a setup for Bill’s next appearance in Thor #363 (Jan. 1986). Thor #363 is part of the Secret Wars II crossover event, and Walt brings Bill back home by putting him on the cover with Thor, defeated by the being known as Kurse. Inside, we find Thor and Bill initially defeated by Kurse, but they team both their hammers’ energy with the Power Pack’s Katie the “Energizer” to create a combined blast to defeat Kurse. The story ends with Bill offering to escort the Power kids back home and agreeing to meet Thor in Asgard later for the ceremonies of picking a new leader of Asgard. This leads into Bill’s second appearance with Power Pack in a story by Louise Simonson with art by Brent Anderson and Scott Williams. Power Pack #19’s (Feb. 1986) “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” features Beta Ray Bill, Wolverine, and Kitty Pryde with Power Pack on its Brent Anderson cover and promises the addition of Cloak and Dagger. This double-size issue has Bill joining the kids in watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade and helping them rescue a runaway balloon. In Thor #364 (Feb. 1986), with story and art by Walt Simonson, Bill returns to Asgard as promised, but everyone is surprised that Thor isn’t with him. Thor has been turned into a frog by Loki and is still on Earth, which is the entire story in Thor #365 (Mar. 1986). Bill pops up in the background in his humanoid guise in a panel or two in Thor #366. The next time we see Bill is on a single page of Thor #367 as he lets Lady Sif know it’s time to return to his own people and would like her to come with him. She leaves the decision hanging… Half a year goes by before Simonson gives us a glimpse into Beta Ray Bill’s life again in Thor #371–372 (Sept.–Oct. 1986) in a story arc with art by Sal Buscema. But it is again a brief panel or two of Bill stating he’s returning to his own people, and Thor giving him his blessing and reminding him he is always at Bill’s beck and call. Bill bids farewell to the Warriors Three and Lady Sif (she’s opted to stay in Asgard) and takes his leave. 40 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

BETA RAY BILL, POST-SIMONSON

With Walt Simonson no longer at the helm of Thor, it’s a full two years later that we come across Beta Ray Bill again. In a short Thor story in Marvel Comics Presents #4 (Oct. 1988), written and penciled by Al Milgrom, Bill makes a brief appearance as a “floating head” when Thor’s foe the “Fear Eater” invades his mind and wafts through Thor’s memories. His next appearance happens in the landmark Thor #400 (Feb. 1989), in a pinup page featuring everyone to that point who had “been worthy” and lifted Thor’s hammer. In December of 1989 Marvel released the trade paperback The Mighty Thor: The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill. It collected the original stories from Thor #337–340 in one edition. Writer Tom DeFalco and artist Ron Lim usher Bill into the 1990s in Thor #411–413 (Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990), in a three-part backup titled “Psychic Slaveship of Space.” In this story, Bill protects the fleet of suspended animation survivors of his Korbinite race from intergalactic slavers. We lose Bill for over a year until Thor Annual #16 (Summer 1991). Michael Heisler (writer) and Kevin West (artist) supply a 12-page story that takes Bill into battle against the living planet Ego. Bill would pop up again that year in Thor #439–441 (late Nov.–late Dec. 1991) in a story arc by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. In #439, Beta Ray Bill arrives to help Thor and Eric Masterson’s future Thor in a battle against Zarko. In #440, Ron Frenz gives us a cover shot of the new “Thor Corps.” The Thor Corps continue the battle against Zarko as Zarko pulls various enemies of Thor from the time stream to throw against them. And in #441, Thor Corps finish the battle against Loki and Zarko in the time stream. Bill is featured prominently in Thor #442 (early Jan. 1992). In a “Tales of Asgard” story by DeFalco and artist Patrick Olliffe, Bill is reunited with Balder the Brave and Lady Sif when they are transported to “The Trial of Beta Ray Bill.” Bill is disgraced in the eyes of his people by his frequent abandoning of them to defend his mantel as a hero. They have finally found a world to live on and decide to strip Bill of his hammer and power. Bill willingly gives them the hammer once transformed into a cane, and decides to be a normal being among his people while they rebuild his world. Beta Ray Bill’s next appearance is a one-page pinup of the Thor Corps on the last page of Thor Annual #17 (Summer 1992). Bill then becomes scarce again in the Marvel Universe for almost a year. He next shows his face in one panel in Thor #454 (late Nov. 1992) as Mephisto relates the events that transpired in the Thor Corps’ battle against Loki and Zarko. He again appears inin one panel in Thor #460 (Mar. 1993) by Ron Marz and Jim Starlin on story, and Bruce Zick on pencils, when Thor laments to Odin all of the people that have replaced him.

It’s Clobberin’ Time! (top left) Another solo cover for Bill by Simonson, on Thor #358 (Aug. 1985). (top right) Both Thors are cursed by Kurse on Walt’s Thor #363 cover. (bottom) Look who’s hogging the cover for the gueststar-galore issue #19 (Feb. 1986) of Power Pack! Art by Brent Anderson and Jackson Guice. Scan courtesy of Heritage. TM & © Marvel.

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Marvel Triple Action (top left) Three Thors comprise the Thor Corps! Ron Frenz/Al Milgrom cover to Thor #440 (early Dec. 1991). (top right) Thor #442’s split cover, penciled by Ron Frenz (left) and Pat Olliffe (right) and inked by Al Milgrom. (bottom left) Original Bruce Zick/Mike DeCarlo art (courtesy of Heritage) from Thor #468 (Nov. 1993). (bottom right) Page 1 of the Beta Ray Bill solo story—with the biggest head in the Marvel Universe, Ego the Living Planet—from Thor Annual #16 (1991). By Michael Heisler, Kevin West, and Bob Petrecca. TM & © Marvel.

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BETA RAY BILL GOES TO MARZ

Scribe Ron Marz brings Bill back in Thor #461 (Apr. 1993) in a story co-written by Jim Starlin and drawn by Bruce Zick. Thor appears to go mad, and Lady Sif convinces Bill to help her bring him to his senses. Once again, Bill and Thor end up battling… and this time, Thor is the victor. Marz carries the story over to his run as writer in Silver Surfer #79 (Apr. 1993), with art by Ron Lim. Bill awakens from his battle with Thor to find himself floating in deep space, only to be taken captive by an unknown foe. The story thread picks up again in Silver Surfer #81 when the Surfer finds himself, Beta Ray Bill, and several other super-beings held captive by the villain, Tyrant. In Silver Surfer #82, Jack of Hearts is added to the group of captives, but appears to sacrifice himself in an explosion that frees the Surfer, Bill, and the rest. They all battle Tyrant without success until Galactus intervenes. At the conclusion of the story Beta Ray Bill tells the Silver Surfer that he must return to Asgard to try to save Thor from his madness. Thor Annual #18 (Summer 1993) features a ten-page story by Ron Marz, with art by Tom Grindberg, entitled “Beta Ray Bill: Stormbreaker.” Marz kindly speaks to BACK ISSUE about the stand-in Thor… and gushes praise upon the comic that started it all. “Full disclosure up front, Thor #337 is one of my favorite single issues ever, and Walter’s run on Thor is my favorite run of all time,” Marz beams. “A big part of that affection is Beta Ray Bill. Obviously, another character inheriting the hero’s mantle is a time-tested trope in comics, but Bill seemed somehow… different to me. I mean, that sure as hell wasn’t what Thor was supposed to look liked. And I loved it. “That cover to #337, with this… thing… in Thor’s guise smashing the classic logo, that cover demanded your attention. Who was this monster that had stolen Thor’s power? But as Bill’s story unfolded, the monster was revealed to be a noble creature, perhaps in some ways more noble than Thor. The equine-inspired design was genius, touching on a bond between horse and man that goes back millennia. As the owner of six horses, that beauty and grace is very familiar to me. “When I got my chance to write the monthly Thor title, I wanted to get Bill into the storyline as early as possible, especially since Thor himself was essentially the villain for a good chunk of the ‘Blood and Thunder’ crossover that Jim Starlin and I concocted. My Thor run, to put it kindly, did not quite work out how I had hoped. But Thor Annual #18 is him over the Secret Defenders with me, still a book I’m proud of, and one of and our Thor run never happened. the reasons is the Beta Ray Bill backup Oh, what could have been?!” Tom Grindberg admits to being “a story I did with Tom Grindberg.” huge fan of the character Thor” and Marz feels that while a fresh character, tells BACK ISSUE, “After a long period Bill also evokes a familiar Marvel theme. ron marz “To me, Beta Ray Bill follows what is of stagnation, Walt Simonson appeared very much a Marvel tradition of heroic and revolutionized the entire look of © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. monsters, for lack of a better term. the book! Of course, John Buscema’s Marvel, more so than DC, has characters like the Hulk, stellar run was the foundation, along with the King, the Thing, and the Inhumans, to name a few, who are, but Walt’s efforts certainly put my imagination to a at least visually, monsters. Bill is part of that lineage, whole different level! Kudos to Walt for all his efforts… he certainly got me interested in Thor all over again!” which I think of as a Kirby lineage.” The artist was happy to be recruited to illustrate Of his Thor Annual #18 artistic collaborator, Marz admits he “loved working with Tom Grindberg!” and Ron Marz’s Beta Ray Bill story for Thor Annual #18. reveals of the illustrator, “He was supposed to take “Ron came to me with a short story featuring Beta Ray over the art on Thor for my second year, and we had Bill,” Grindberg recalls. “Mind you, at first I was slightly a big story worked out, including turning Thor into reluctant, but I knew how Ron worked… I completely a woman for part of it. I still have all the designs trusted his art and the way he could compel his readers, that Tom did, even a new logo. But Marvel shunted including me, into his vision of any character.

He’s Got the Power Page 5 of Ron Marz and Tom Grindberg’s excpetional “Stormbreaker” tale from 1993’s Thor Annual #18. Inks by Don Hudson. TM & © Marvel.

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“Ron has such a gift to pull you in and keep the reader guessing what’s up next! Ron thought visually. He would write a plot as if I had those talents from mere words interpreted into living pictures. It compelled you to do your best!” When asked of his preparation for the Beta Ray Bill story, Grindberg says, “Insofar as research, I had all of Walt’s work in front of me. Of course, it has distinct characteristics, which I adhered to too religiously! This was Walt’s vision, not mine… it was a thrill to take his idea and hopefully expand on it.” Did a self-professed Simonson Thor fan feel any challenges or pressures in working with the character Beta Ray Bill? “I firmly believe as an artist that I strive for originality,” Grindberg comments, “but at the same time preserving its history… I think many an artist would feel no different given the task. I took every character I ever drew with utter respect from those who came before me. If in some small way my efforts were appreciated by the fans, then I felt I got a passing grade. Nothing more nothing less! “[Beta Ray Bill] was a character that every bit of power Odin bestowed on his son Thor, Beta was equal in all aspects of the perfect superhero!” Like his collaborator, Tom laments the Marz/Grindberg Thor monthly series partnership that was not allowed to happen, but emphatically states, “My experience on working on such a classic character as Thor will always remain a highlight in my career.”

CORPS VALUES

“Forged in Fire” (top) Tom Grindberg also drew Ron Marz’s lead Thor tale in Thor Annual #18. Inks by John Nyberg. Courtesy of Heritage. (bottom) More Thors than you can shake a hammer at on Pat Olliffe’s cover to Thor Corps #1 (Sept. 1993). TM & © Marvel.

Beta Ray Bill would next surface in the four-issue miniseries Thor Corps #1–4 (Sept. 1993–Dec. 1993), written by Tom DeFalco and penciled by Pat Olliffe. The artist reveals to BACK ISSUE, “I drew Bill in the Thor Corps miniseries, my only recollection pat olliffe being that it was very cool to get to draw him ERBzine.com. and that I struggled to get his suit right!” In Thor Corps #1, “A Gathering of Heroes,” we begin with Olliffe’s impressive cover of three “Thors.” The story starts with future Thor Dargo Ktor battling a new villain, Demonstaff, with little success. Beta Ray Bill returns to his home world to find it growing out of control and threatening his people. Before he can do anything, he is mysteriously transported elsewhere. We next find ourselves on Earth, following Eric Masterson, another Thor incarnation (Thunderstrike), to where Beta Ray Bill and Dargo have been transported. Once together as a trio, they are again transported… to WW II-era Earth to confront the Invaders! Thor Corps #2’s “Gather Chaos” starts with another Olliffe cover showing the Thor Corps confronting the Invaders. Inside, a brief struggle with Captain America, Bucky, Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch, and Torch’s sidekick Toro hardly goes in favor of the Corps. Eric is pulled through a dimensional portal for a brief time to the era of Machine Man 2020 and a quick skirmish with Iron Man before he is returned to join his friends in a dimensional void. The three Thors begin jumping through various times and dimensions until the issue ends with Dargo confronting Spider-Man 2099, Beta Ray Bill confronting a version of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Thunderstrike in Earth’s Wild West confronting Kid Colt, Rawhide Kid, and Two-Gun Kid. Thor Corps #3, “Ravaged by Reality,” begins with another Olliffe cover, this time featuring the original Thor surrounded by scenes of the Thor Corps in their individual battles. Inside, we have each of the individual battles raging, while Demonstaff rages against reality and opening multiple time and dimension rifts, creating pain for Eternity, and materializing rifts in the realities of the Phantom Eagle, Conan, and the original X-Men, as well as the realities each of our Thors find themselves in. They manage to once again come together in one reality where their only choice is to summon the original Thor. Thor Corps #4 is graced with a rarity in Marvel Comics, a painted cover, by Lou Harrison of all four of our Thor Corps. Inside, it takes the combined might of all four Thors to defeat Demonstaff, at which point he restores everyone to their own reality at the point that he had first taken them, for a happy ending.

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Four Thors Courtesy of Heritage, Lou Harrison’s sizzling cover painting to the fourth and final issue of Thor Corps (Dec. 1993). TM & © Marvel.

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“BLOOD AND THUNDER”

Galactic Guardians Writer Mark Gruenwald teamed his space-spanner Quasar with Beta Ray Bill and the Silver Surfer in the Starmasters miniseries. Issue #1 (Dec. 1995) cover by Scot Eaton. TM & © Marvel.

While the all of this was taking place, Bill’s story continued in Thor #468 (Nov. 1993), “Distant Thunder.” This is Part One of the crossover event “Blood and Thunder” by Ron Marz and Bruce Zick, chronicling Thor’s bout with madness, where Bill confronts a maddened Thor and is beaten soundly. In Silver Surfer #86 (Nov. 1993), Part Two of “Blood and Thunder” by Marz and guest artist Andy Smith, “Friends & Foes” picks up where we left off: Bill has gone in search of the mad Thor, and the Silver Surfer has gone to find them both, which he does on a distant asteroid just as Thor is about to give a killing blow to an unconscious Beta Ray Bill. The Surfer intervenes, and the issue is filled with a back-and-forth battle between Thor and the two of them. The issue ends with Thor confronted by none other than Adam Warlock and Pip, to be continued in Warlock Chronicles #6 (Dec. 1993). However, Bill’s thread of the story continues in Silver Surfer #87 (Dec. 1993), Part Six of the crossover,

by Marz and Smith. We find Bill in Asgard, transported there and being tended to by Lady Sif. Bill awakens with a renewed desire to find and help Thor and enlists the aid of Lady Sif to do so. In Warlock Chronicles #7 (Jan. 1994), Part Seven by Jim Starlin and Tom Raney, Lady Sif heads for the palace and before Bill can leave in search of Thor, he is confronted by Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, Warlock, and members of the Infinity Watch, attempting to gain entrance to Asgard. Not knowing their intent, Bill attacks and eventually loses to their combined might. Thor #470 (Jan. 1994), Part Nine of “Blood and Thunder,” gives us “Ruins” by Marz and artist M. C. Wyman. While Thor is in Asgard warring with the Infinity Watch team, Beta Ray Bill, with the aid of Lady Sif, is transported to the site where Thor has battled everyone to a standstill, and Pip and the Silver Surfer whisk Thor to the lair of Thanos. In Part 11, Starlin and Smith’s “Reunion” in Warlock Chronicles #8 (Feb. 1994), Sif and Bill return to Asgard via the Norn Stones. Warlock and the Infinity Watch #25 (Feb. 1994), Part 12, contains the next thread of Bill’s involvement in “Raid on Asgard” by Starlin and artist Angel Medina. Bill and Lady Sif have arrived on the shores of Asgard. The Infinity Watch and friends have arrived in Asgard ahead of them, and Bill and Sif debate the wisdom of their decision to hide Thor’s madness from Odin. Thor #471 (Feb. 1994) by Marz and Wyman, Part 13 and the conclusion to “Blood and Thunder,” shows Thor finally cured of his madness and standing together with Odin, Lady Sif, and Beta Ray Bill, all overlooking Asgard.

MASTERING THE STARS

In Cosmic Powers #1 (Mar. 1994), Beta Ray Bill makes a cameo appearance when Thanos reviews the events between Tyrant and the other heroes chronicled in Silver Surfer #81–82. Thor #472 (Mar. 1994), “If Twilight Falls” by Roy Thomas and M. C. Wyman, finds Bill and others trying to restrain Thor to Asgard, as Odin worries about the impending Ragnarok. Bill and the others fail, leaving Thor to return to Earth. In Thor #478 (Sept. 1994), by Thomas and Wyman, Bill again cameos as a bystander when Thor returns to Asgard. Thor #480 (Nov. 1994), by the same creative team, shows Beta Ray Bill, Lady Sif, and Balder the Brave protecting Asgard from invading Trolls. Thor #484 (Mar. 1995), “The God in the War Machine” by Thomas and Sandu Florea, finds Lady Sif returning to Earth to be at Thor’s side, leaving Beta Ray Bill in Asgard proclaiming his allegiance to Odin awaiting the impending Ragnarok. In Thor #487–488 (June–July 1995) by Thomas and Wyman, we find Bill, Balder, and the Warriors Three in Asgard, watching Thor losing a battle against Kurse. They head to Earth to aid him. Beta Ray Bill is one of the headlining characters in the three-issue limited series Starmasters (or “Star Masters,” as its logo is lettered) #1–3 (Dec. 1995– Feb. 1996) by writer Mark Gruenwald (Simonson’s Thor editor 13 years earlier when Bill first appeared) and penciler Scot Eaton. The conceit of the miniseries finds Bill teaming up with Quasar (from the 60-issue self-titled space-hero series written by Gruenwald) and the Silver Surfer. In Asgard, Odin promises to allow Bill to return to his people and offers to remove 46 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

(Storm)Breaking Out (left) First issue of Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill (Mar. 2005). Cover by Andrea DiVito. (right) Marko Djurdjevic’s painted cover to the one-shot with a mouthful of a title, Secret Invasion: Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill: The Green of Eden #1 (June 2009). TM & © Marvel.

Bill’s portion of the “Odin Power” that gives him the ability to mimic Thor if he’ll do one last errand for the god-king. Bill’s task is to investigate the cosmic warning that Quasar is a mass murderer. Bill and the Silver Surfer confront Quasar, and after perceiving that Quasar is not the villain as reported, together they team up to stop a planetoid on a collision with Earth and will try to solve who really murdered the millions of people for which Quasar is accused. In Thor #492’s (Nov. 1995) “Run Through” by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato, Jr., we find Beta Ray Bill back in Asgard, pulled there from his work in Starmasters #3. But while walking through the gardens of Asgard, Bill is stricken and falls into an apparent coma— and is referred to as “dead” in the next issue, Thor #493, though he is just in a coma. Meanwhile, the Starmasters story would continue in Cosmic Powers Unlimited #4 (Feb. 1996) in “The Plague War,” by writer Greg Wright and artist Scot Eaton. We find the Starmasters confronting the Axi-Tun. Silver Surfer decides he knows where comatose Bill has been taken and goes off to retrieve him, leaving Quasar and his allies from the Cosmic Commandos to battle on their own. Cosmic Powers Unlimited #5’s “The Master Race” by Wright and Eaton ties up some loose ends and reveals the story behind Beta Ray Bill’s changes. The Surfer reveals that he went to Asgard, where he had sensed Bill to be, only to find him in his aforementioned coma, partly because of the Odin Power that Odin infused in him. The Surfer and Odin combine their powers to revive Bill, removing the Odin Power and replacing it with Power Cosmic, returning Bill to his original Korbinite battle uniform… and altering Stormbreaker in the process. Odin states that Bill is no longer bound to Asgard, but is always welcome. Bill tells the group that the “goo” they have encountered is all that is left of his remaining people and that it is now a living plague that only he can resist. Silver Surfer uses his cosmic power to eliminate the plague, without damaging the remnants of the Korbinites. After defeating the Axi-Tun, the Starmasters are presented to the rest of the inhabitants as the saviors of the universe. Bill is shown in his old Thor-like appearance (thanks to Quasar’s cosmic abilities), although he’s not ready to reveal the reasons for his change to the public and adopts a cosmic “mask” when in public.

Beta Ray Bill would show up only a couple more times in the Marvel Universe in the 1990s. In the 2000s, he would spend time with Thor; get a miniseries, Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill, that tells the tale of the final demise of his people at the hands of Galactus; be nearly killed, and then saved but transferred into the body of a deceased war veteran; spend time with the Canadian team Omega Flight; be part of the Secret Invasion storyline; and set out to kill Galactus for destroying his race’s second home world. In the 2010s, Bill would share adventures with Nova, the Annihilators, and the Inhumans. Beta Ray Bill is no stranger to the media corner of the Marvel Universe. He would guest star in episodes of the cartoon series Silver Surfer, The Super Hero Squad Show, and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Bill appeared in the animated DVD Planet Hulk, and has also shown up in several Marvel video games in several formats and has had several action figures made in his likeness. According to Marvel Studios producer Kevin Feige, regarding 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, “There was a Beta Ray Bill [appearance], but it was so quick that you would have the same complaints that you have now [about his absence in the Marvel movies]. He was in it a little bit more and it just didn’t do him justice. And the feeling is, if you can’t do it justice, do it later.” So that bodes well of Bill finally making it to the live-action screen in a future Marvel movie. While not as popular as say, Wolverine, Beta Ray Bill, the one-time Thor stand-in, has claimed his place in the Marvel Universe. Special thanks to Ron Marz, Tom Grindberg, Patrick Olliffe, and Jon B. Cooke for assistance with this article. STEPHAN FRIEDT has been around comics for a long, long time. A former columnist for The Buyer’s Guide for Comic Fandom, he has contributed to Alter Ego, BACK ISSUE, and the Grand Comics Database and is the senior database administrator for www.comicspriceguide.com. And he still finds time to hold real jobs and be at the beck and call of a wife and two daughters in his secret identity as a resident of the Pacific Northwest.

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The 1980s were a decade of change for Marvel Comics, especially where their superheroes’ identities were concerned. A few of the more memorable changes were when Tony Stark was replaced by James “Rhodey” Rhodes as Iron Man, Magneto replaced Professor Charles Xavier as the leader of the X-Men, and Beta Ray Bill proved he was worthy to lift the hammer Mjolnir and wield the weapon of the Mighty Thor. In these cases, each replacement was a natural progression of the starring character, or the character showed they had what it took to replace the original. Rhodes had been a confidant of Stark prior to suiting up, and Magneto had been friends with Xavier prior to their divide on the questions of how to handle mutant/ human relations. While at the time Beta Ray Bill was a new creation by Walt Simonson, Bill had shown that he had what it takes to wield Mjolnir and to take possession of (albeit briefly) Thor’s mantle. However, this wasn’t the case when Steve Rogers quit the role of Captain America and was replaced by John Walker. Prior to this, Walker was the villainous Super-Patriot. Then, a strange thing happened: Not only did Walker go the heroic route even when Rogers returned to his role as the Sentinel of Liberty, but he became a mainstay of the Marvel Universe. Like Rhodey and Beta Ray Bill, Walker became a hero in his own right and remains one to this day. While Magneto’s conversion to the side of good led to a back-and-forth as opposed to a 180-degree change with the character, Walker’s change had him grow as a character and not revert to his previous ways. So, how did a villainous character take the place of one of America’s greatest heroes? Let’s look at John Walker’s origin, how his political ideology made him an interesting and engaging character, his time as Captain America and beyond, and a look at his continued development.

VILLAINOUS BEGINNINGS

Super-Patriot [not to be confused with the Marvel villain of the same name, from 1969’s Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13, or Erik Larsen’s Image Comics superhero SuperPatriot, first seen in 1992—ed.] was introduced in Captain America #323 (Nov. 1986), although his real name of John Walker wasn’t revealed until almost a year later. During this premiere issue, written by longtime Captain America scribe Mark Gruenwald (1953–1996) and drawn by Paul Neary and John Beatty, John Walker, clad as Super-Patriot, was in a limousine with his agent Ethan Thurm. When Thurm pointed out an old lady getting mugged, Walker chose not to stop the crime because it wasn’t glitzy enough to make headlines.

When Captains Clash Stand-in Captain America John Walker (right) vs. his star-spangled sparring partner, the original Captain America Steve Rogers, now the Captain (left), on the Kieron Dwyer/Al Milgrom cover to Captain America #350 (Feb. 1989). TM & © Marvel.

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by E

d Lute

Later in the issue, Super-Patriot held a rally in which he promoted himself as the future of the patriotic ideal, contending that Captain America was old news. During the rally, Super-Patriot was attacked by gunmen calling themselves the Buckies (Bold Urban Commandoes). Super-Patriot defeated the Buckies, although the attack had been staged and the Buckies were in actuality partners with Super-Patriot. The Buckies were Lemar Hoskins, Jerome “Jerry” Johnson, and Hector Lennox, although just like Walker, their real names weren’t given in this issue. Although Super-Patriot believed in America, his views were contrary to Steve Rogers’. During an April 1988 Wonderful World of Comics interview with Joe Field, Captain America writer and Super-Patriot co-creator Mark Gruenwald stated, “I had been doing symbolic characters, like Flag-Smasher, who represents anarchy, non-nationalism, and characters of that ilk. And I realized because Captain America was the good guy, it seemed to be saying that patriotism had to be good, because he was Captain America and he was the good guy. … I wanted to show the dark side of patriotism, so I invented the character Super-Patriot to show that.” Super-Patriot and the Buckies next appeared in Captain America #327 (Mar. 1987). This issue began with the Buckies attacking foreigners across the United States. In their first appearance, the Buckies wore masks like Captain America’s, emblazoned with the letter “A.” This time the Buckies had a “B” on their masks. After beating up a few foreigners, the Buckies got into Super-Patriot’s limo. Walker told them he wished he could have been with them, but his agent Thurm hadn’t completed the research to find out if most Americans would be in favor of their tactics or not. Captain America had been investigating the attacks on the foreigners, and it led him to Super-Patriot and the Buckies. Super-Patriot fought Captain America to a standstill.

THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT CAPTAIN AMERICA

Super-Patriot’s next appearance was in the classic issue Captain America #332 (Aug. 1987), written by Gruenwald and penciled by Tom Morgan, who replaced artist Paul Neary on the series. The Commission on Superhuman Activities had given Steve Rogers a choice to continue to work as Captain America under their authority, or to quit being Captain America. While Rogers was struggling with his decision, Super-Patriot defeated a terrorist atop the Washington Monument. The terrorist claimed he had a nuclear device that he was going to detonate. At the end of the issue, Rogers decided he didn’t want to work for the Commission, so he relinquished his Captain America role. Steve Rogers as Captain America had long been the patriotic hero of the Marvel Universe— even before there was a “Marvel Universe,” his history dating back to comics’ Golden Age and his first appearance occurring just before Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor led the United States into World War II. Later, throughout the Silver Age, Captain America was also the longtime guiding mark gruenwald force of the Mighty Avengers. Even though Rogers gave up being Captain America, he didn’t Illustration by quit his role as a superhero. He got a new David Banegas. costume and continued the fight as “The Captain.” While the idea of Rogers no longer being Captain America may have seemed radical in 1987, it wasn’t the first time this had happened. In the mid-1970s, writer Steve Engelhart had a disillusioned Steve Rogers hang up his red, white, and blue togs during the controversial “Secret Empire” storyline, beginning in Captain America #180 (Dec. 1974) [see BACK ISSUE #20—ed.]. Former Marvel Comics editor Ralph Macchio, who would take over Captain America from editor Dan Daley beginning with issue #335, tells BACK ISSUE, “Mark [Gruenwald] was a continuity guy. He wanted to experiment with Captain America, and I thought it was a great idea. Steve Engelhart first had Steve Rogers give up being Cap at the end of the ‘Secret Empire’ storyline. He became Nomad. This was our version of Steve Rogers giving up being Cap.”

The New Voice of America (top) Meet SuperPatriot—and the Buckies, from Captain America #323 (Nov. 1986). By Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary, and John Beatty. (bottom) Super-Patriot vs. Cap, on the Mike Zeck cover to issue #327 (Mar. 1987). TM & © Marvel.

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Of course, with Steve Rogers now fighting injustice as the Captain, the Marvel Universe still needed a Captain America. According to Macchio, writer Gruenwald and Marvel “didn’t merely want Steve Rogers to quit, we wanted to go one better and replace him as Captain America. And not just for an issue or two, either.” Issue #333 (Sept. 1987) saw the Commission begin a search for Steve Rogers’ replacement as the Star-Spangled Sentinel. After hearing about Super-Patriot’s heroics (from the previous issue), the Commission decided to give him the mantle of Captain America. This was a radical idea for a comic book during this time because Super-Patriot was a supervillain and the change wasn’t just for an issue or two, but for the duration of a long story arc. Gruenwald thought this transition in hero identities would get more readers interested in the series. In an interview with Dwight Jon Zimmerman in David Anthony Kraft’s Comics Interview #54 (Jan. 1988), Gruenwald stated, “With Iron Man, for example, we had James Rhodes take the lead character’s place, and we did it for two years—which I’m sure was about a year and a half longer than anybody thought we would do it. In Thor, we had Beta Ray Bill take Thor’s place for two or three issues. So, this is the sort of thing that has been done to shake up people before. “You know, I’m responsible for it in Iron Man and I was editor of Thor at the time of Beta Ray Bill, and believe me, it’s a trick I know works because I’ve seen it work a number of times. It’s just to get you noticed so that people who don’t normally read it will say, ‘Oh, I heard something about this, let me read it and see.’ And with luck, folks will get hooked on the storyline.” Ralph Macchio adds, “The Cap book was doing very well. We wanted to flex our muscles and see where we could take the character. Our sales were healthy. It’s funny, because when sales are good you can do something different with a book, because readers love what you are doing. And when sales are bad you can do something different, because no one cares what you are doing with the characters. “[With Captain America,] we had a lot of freedom to experiment. We wanted to see what Cap meant to other people. We wanted to play around with the idea of patriotism and what it means to be patriotic. We wanted to see different viewpoints.”

THE ORIGIN OF JOHN WALKER

Not only did Captain America #333 feature Super-Patriot accepting the mantle of Captain America, it revealed to readers that Super-Patriot’s real name was John Walker and provided background on how he became Super-Patriot. In this issue, Walker recounted to Valerie Cooper of the Commission on Superhuman Affairs how he wanted to emulate his heroic older brother Mike, who died in combat in Vietnam. To accomplish this goal, John joined the US Army, but couldn’t become a war hero since there was no war occurring at the time. After leaving the Army at the end of his enlistment, Walker heard about the Power Broker, who claimed to be able to turn give people extraordinary powers. A successful experiment followed, and Walker found he could now lift ten tons. He was going to become a costumed professional wrestler to earn the money to pay the Power Broker for his services, but Ethan Thurm became his manager and convinced him to become a superhero instead. Thurm organized rallies and put Super-Patriot onto the national stage. Walker wanted to keep the Buckies as his partners and retain Thurm as his agent, but the Commission rejected two of the three Buckies, allowing only Lemar Hoskins to remain…

Hanging Up the Shield (top) Mike Zeck and Klaus Janson’s shocking cover for Captain America #332 (Aug. 1987) signaled a big change… (inset) although readers of issue #180 (Dec. 1974) recalled an earlier time when Cap shed his patriotic garb. Cover by Gil Kane and Mike Esposito. (bottom) A game of red, white, and who on the Zeck/ Bob McLeod cover of issue #333. TM & © Marvel.

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as the new Bucky. Walker was also advised he would have GOOD CAP/BAD CAP to fire Thurm as his agent. Walker agreed to the terms. John Walker presented readers with a very different version Why was the new Captain America given a of Captain America, diametrically opposed to Steve Rogers and his version of the Star-Spangled Avenger. partner—the new Bucky—when Steve Rogers didn’t have one prior to stepping aside for Walker? “Captain America was a character who was “I get several letters every month asking created to engender patriotism during a time when Bucky’s coming back,” recalled of war,” Macchio recalls. “He had a definite Mark Gruenwald in Comics Interview #54. enemy in Hitler and the Nazis.” Yet by “And I said, ‘Well, if the government’s the mid-1980s, the world into which getting a new Captain America, Steve Rogers was introduced had maybe they’d want to get a new changed. “Even though we were in the Bucky.’ I had previously introduced Cold War, it was ending and there was three Buckies as the friends and no clear-cut menace anymore. We wanted partners of the Super-Patriot, the Bold to see the patriotic angle reversed.” Urban Commandos, and rather than A popular movie series during these create someone new, I decided one right-wing Reagan Administration of them would be the Bucky.” years was the Rambo franchise starring Walker was given his first mission Sylvester Stallone. Some fans of the ralph macchio as Captain America in issue #335. Captain America series wanted Cap © Marvel. He was sent to investigate the to act like Rambo. According to Watchdogs, a group that used extreme violence to Gruenwald in the interview with Field, “If they want curb behavior they believed to be amoral, including Captain America’s Rambo, I’ll give ’em it. But it can’t pornography, sex education, abortions, and the teaching be Steve Rogers.” of evolution. The group was stationed in Custer’s John Walker was Gruenwald’s substitute for a Grove, Georgia, where Walker grew up. Rambo-ized Captain America. “He’s the American Dream Although Walker believed in what the Watchdogs were as most people think of it,” Gruenwald told Field during fighting against, he didn’t agree with their violent methods. their interview. “You know, come to America, make a Walker infiltrated the Watchdogs and then, along with lot of money at the expense of others. Do whatever Hoskins, defeated them. (This wouldn’t be the last time it takes to get ahead, because that’s the idea of the American Dream. Making Money. Walker would have to deal with the Watchdogs.)

New Blood Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com), the Zeck/Bob McLeod cover and Tom Morgan/Dave Hunt splash to Captain America #334 (Oct. 1987), with John Walker wearing the red, white, and blue. TM & © Marvel.

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“That’s not Steve Rogers’ idea,” Gruenwald cautioned. “He believes it’s the land of opportunity where you can be whatever you try to be. If you want to be a big moneymaker, all right, that’s one thing. But that, to me, is the dark side of the American Dream and patriotism. And that is what Super-Patriot was there for.” With the aforementioned issue #335 (Nov. 1987), Ralph Macchio began a long stint as editor of Captain America. “I spent about ten years on Cap with Mark. We had previously worked on [Marvel] Two-in-One together. It was lots of fun working with him. We were good friends. It was a pleasure. “We wanted [Rogers and Walker] to have different feelings about how they see the country to distinguish them from each other,” Macchio continues. “Walker showed the darker side of patriotism. He was more radicalized than Steve Rogers. His beliefs were stronger. He was the dark side of Steve Rogers.” Did Gruenwald have Super-Patriot’s evolution into the new Captain America in mind when he introduced the character in issue #323? “Mark was a guy who wanted to play with the characters a little bit,” Macchio recalls. “I don’t think he had the character arc planned out from the very beginning with Super-Patriot’s introduction. But I don’t know about any alternatives as to what he was going to do with the character. I do think that when he figured out what he was going to do with Super-Patriot, he had it pretty well worked out. As a writer, sometimes you don’t tell the character where to go or what to do, the character tells you where they want to go and do. I think Walker told Mark where he wanted to go. Mark had it mapped out up to the big clash in #350. Walker going mad and having a downfall were all planned out.” Kieron Dwyer, who replaced Tom Morgan to become the regular Captain America artist starting with issue #338 (Feb. 1988), echoes his editor’s remarks about Mark Gruenwald. “He wasn’t really a makethings-up-as-you-go-along type, in my experience,” Dwyer says. Regarding John Walker’s growth as a character in Captain America, Dwyer reveals that his involvement as artist helped shape the direction of the John Walker character. “Honestly, when reading over the issues with Walker as Super-Patriot, I thought it was pretty silly and entirely too much nail on the head, as far as what I knew Gruenwald was going for in setting up this ultra-right guy to replace Steve Rogers,” Dwyer says. “I believe that some of the reservations I voiced as we went on helped bring some more nuance to the character. The way I drew Walker, with lots of shadows and so forth, I think, also helped guide the book into darker territory, which I think was good at the time.”

One Man Army (top left) Take a classic patriotic paragon (1941’s Captain America Comics #1, cover by Jack Kirby), (bottom) stir in a Reagan-era take-no-prisoners hero (1985’s Rambo: First Blood II), and you get (top right) a tough, in-your-face Star-Spangled Sentinel. Captain America #335 (Nov. 1987) cover by Tom Morgan and Joe Sinnott. Captain America TM & © Marvel. Rambo © 1985 Tri-Star Pictures. Poster courtesy of Heritage.

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CHARACTER GROWTH

Captain America’s “darker territory” gradually strayed even further away from the ideologies that made up the traditional Steve Rogers version of the Star-Spangled Sentinel. The story “Free Speech” in issue #341 (May 1988) featured the return of the former Buckies, Johnson and Lennox, as Right-Winger and Left-Winger. The duo attacked Captain America and Battlestar— Bucky’s new codename, which was accompanied by the hero’s new uniform—at a rally. After their defeat by Cap and Battlestar, the vengeful Left-Winger and Right-Winger revealed Captain America’s John Walker identity to the audience. In Captain America #345 (Sept. 1988), the Commission tasked Captain America and Battlestar with apprehending Steve “the Captain” Rogers for operating as a superhero without their permission. The new Captain America reluctantly agreed… but didn’t get to finish his mission. John Walker learned that his mother and father had been kidnapped by the Watchdogs in retaliation for defeating them, their safety compromised

once Cap’s secret identity was exposed in issue #341. He returned home to Custer’s Grove to rescue his parents, but they were killed by the Watchdogs during the attempt. In an act of savagery, Walker killed nine Watchdogs and seriously wounded 13 others. Captain America #346 (Oct. 1988) saw Walker suspended from the Captain America role due to his murderous behavior in the previous issue, but the Commission’s Douglas Rockwell, operating under the orders of a mysterious boss, reinstated him as the Star-Spangled Sentinel. In issue #347 (Nov. 1988) Walker hunted down his former allies Left-Winger and Right-Winger for revealing his identity, which led to the deaths of his parents. Walker nearly killed them, but burned them and left them for dead instead. Walker was defeated by the anti-patriot the Flag-Smasher in issue #348 (Dec. 1988). Flag-Smasher realized that Walker wasn’t the original Captain America. He held Walker hostage until the original Captain America came to face him. In the next issue (Jan. 1989), Battlestar located Rogers. The heroes, along with D-Man, another Power Brokeraugmented character, defeated Flag-Smasher and rescued Walker.

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Bucky has always been a part of Captain America lore from the heroes’ first appearance during the Golden Age of Comics in Captain America Comics #1 (Mar. 1941). Captain America’s original partner was James Buchanan Barnes, who went by the nickname of “Bucky.” When Steve Rogers was reintroduced as Captain America in Avengers #4 (Mar. 1964), Bucky remained an integral part of Captain America’s backstory, even though the sidekick had died during World War II. So, it was only natural for Mark Gruenwald to give the new Captain America John Walker a partner named Bucky. Lemar Hoskins was originally given the time-honored codename of Bucky in Captain America #334 (Oct. 1987) by the United States government when he was assigned as a partner to neo-Captain America John Walker. Unlike Barnes, a white male, Hoskins was an African American. What writer Mark Gruenwald didn’t realize at the time was that “Buck” is an offensive term to many African Americans, used mainly during post-Reconstruction era America. Some readers wrote in and complained about Hoskins taking this name. “Cap had a black partner before in the Falcon, but he’s had three other white partners so I said it’s time for another black one,” Gruenwald admitted in David Anthony Kraft’s Comics Interview #54 (Jan. 1988). “Thus, Bucky was black. Now I’m getting a lot of bad mail, and deservedly so, for my ignorance.” Hoskins’ codename was quickly changed to Battlestar. However, it wasn’t only fan mail that caused the name change. Captain America artist Kieron Dwyer tells BACK ISSUE, “I think others had the same reaction, but I felt the first time I saw them call him Bucky that there was something very wrong about it. Mostly because it made me think of Buckwheat from Little Rascals. As a kid, I thought Buckwheat and his brother Farina were just cute kids like the rest of the Rascals, but I realized as a teen how really racist those stereotypes were, especially when Eddie Murphy did his shtick with Buckwheat on SNL. I told Mark right off the bat when I joined up that we had to change the name of the character and make it part of the story, which I was glad we did. I know I wasn’t alone; I know there were letters from fans who were not pleased with it. I came up with the name Battlestar and the costume.” The name transition was explained in the story “Free Speech” in Captain America #341. Hoskins tells Walker about how an African-American guard from the Vault, where Hoskins had been training, told Hoskins that in some parts of the country the term ‘Buck’ is offensive term to African-American men. Hoskins brought the situation to the Committee on Superhuman Affairs, which agreed a change was in order. Not only was Hoskins allowed to change his codename, but his costume was changed as well. “I had a soft spot for that guy, much the same as I did for D-Man,” Dwyer admits. “I always wanted him to be much more than Walker’s sidekick and pushed for that.” In issue #347 (Nov. 1988), Gruenwald added depth to the character by having Hoskins take night classes to earn his high school diploma. When Walker was seemingly killed off in Captain America #351, Battlestar stayed around and became a backup character in the series. He was even featured in his own series of backup tales in Captain America #372–378 (early July–Oct. 1990). Dwyer recalls, “I know Mark liked that character as much as I did. I’m sure he wanted to keep exploring that, and it was good to have some more diversity in the series. It was good to have an AfricanTM & © Marvel. American character who didn’t have to have the word ‘Black’ in his name, too.” Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 53

Cap Blows His Top Walker-Cap learns of his parents’ abduction on this original art page from Captain America #345 (Sept. 1988). Art by Dwyer and Milgrom. Courtesy of Heritage. TM & © Marvel.

CAPTAIN AMERICA VS. CAPTAIN AMERICA

Rogers, still clad as the Captain, followed Rockwell and found that he was talking with someone behind the Commission’s back. Meanwhile, Rockwell answered a phone call from his unidentified leader, and was doused by an eerie crimson dust. Walker was soon confronted by a “Mr. Smith”—a dead-ringer for Steve Rogers—and tangled with villains he had previously faced as Captain America. Mr. Smith admitted to being the manipulator behind Walker’s ongoing misfortunes. (SPOILER ALERT!) While Walker was locked in combat, Mr. Smith, via a video monitor, revealed himself to Steve Rogers as the Red Skull in a new guise, having abandoned his horrific appearance forged in wartime Germany for Rogers’ handsome Aryan appearance to help sway those living in Me-Decade America. The Red Skull’s plan was to tarnish the reputation of Captain America and the United States government. kieron dwyer “Cap had the perfect adversary in the Red Skull,” editor Macchio reminds us. “Most of Marvel’s characters were nuanced and readers could see some good in them. Not the Red Skull. He was a nihilist. He was evil through and through. He only wanted to dominate the world. I think even Hitler was supposed to fear him. “The Red Skull’s return looking like Steve Rogers was brilliant,” Macchio contends. “With his blond hair and blue eyes, he is the perfect physical embodiment of the Aryan Superman. Hitler’s ideal Nazi.” The main attraction in Captain America #350 was its cover-touted battle between captains, excitingly rendered by the art team of Kieron Dwyer and Al Milgrom, with Walker-Cap, puppeted into madness by the Red Skull, and Rogers-The Captain going at it. It should come as no surprise that the Rogers ultimately got the best of Walker. The Commission, realizing it had been duped, offered the patriotic fighting togs of Captain America back to their original wearer… who declined. But Walker, regaining his composure, persuaded Rogers to return to the iconic identity he created. “Steve Rogers was always going to return as Cap in #350,” Macchio contends. “Big character moments and big conflicts are really special, and we tend to put them in big issues. #350 was one of those big issues.” “I don’t think I would have wanted to stay on the book if I knew Steve wouldn’t regain the mantle of Cap,” artist Kieron Dwyer confesses to BACK ISSUE. “It was my first professional ongoing assignment and I was just 20, so I wanted to be on the title and grow my career, but that would have been a deal killer for me even at that stage. I almost left the title just a few issues into my run, because at first I found Mark’s scripts to be cumbersome and I wasn’t sure it was the right book for me, but I was able to discuss that with him and adjust some things and it all worked out in the end.”

Issue #350 (Feb. 1989) was the culmination of Gruenwald’s Walker-as-Captain America plot. At the beginning of this double-sized issue, Walker was in the hospital recovering from his ordeal with Flag-Smasher. Angry with Hoskins and Rogers for rescuing him, Walker believed that he could have saved himself and defeated Flag-Smasher without their help. Rockwell from the Commission informed Walker that they haven’t made a decision yet, but were considering returning the Captain America uniform to Rogers. Meanwhile, the Commission deliberated on whether to remove Walker from the Captain America role. They recounted what he had done and found it to be within acceptable limits, but feared he could harm their future efforts by giving Captain America a bad name.

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FROM CAPTAIN TO AGENT

With Steve Rogers back as Captain America, the question for Marvel became what to do with John Walker. Walker had become a popular, albeit sometimes controversial, character. In issue #351, Walker returned the shield to Rogers at a press conference, where both men were dressed as Captain America. Before the audience, Walker was assassinated by a Watchdog… who in turn was then gunned down by a Scourge of the Underworld. Walker did not stay dead for long, though. He reappeared in Captain America #354 (June 1989), not as Super-Patriot or Captain America, but in a newly created identity: U.S.Agent [alternately, and confusingly, U.S. Agent and USAgent—ed.]. “It wasn’t always the plan to ‘kill off’ Walker and resurrect him as U.S.Agent,” Macchio admits. “However, we had received such a positive response to the character that we didn’t want to see him go. So we thought of a way to keep him around.” In #354, members of the Commission were introduced to the presumed-dead John Walker as the U.S.Agent, a patriotic hero clad in Steve Rogers’ “The Captain” uniform. Walker’s death was staged by a General Hayworth, and Walker had mastered new speech patterns and mannerisms so that the public wouldn’t know he was the previous Captain America or Super-Patriot. John Walker was also given a new name: Jack Daniels. Do the names John Walker and Jack Daniels have you reaching for a liquor cabinet? “I’m not really sure who came up with the name Jack Daniels,” Macchio tells BACK ISSUE. “I’m sure whoever came up with it, Mark wrote it with a ‘wink, wink’ towards the readers. I’m not a drinker, but I know what Jack Daniels is and I’ve heard of Johnnie Walker Black, but I don’t think I picked up on it at the time. I don’t think many of the younger readers did either.” Regarding Walker becoming U.S.Agent, Kieron Dwyer states, “It seemed a natural thing for them to swap the outfits and identities. Walker clearly wasn’t cut out to be Cap, and was much more of a government tool, despite his violent streak.” It’s not lost on the one-time Captain America penciler how some of Gruenwald’s politics from the 1980s now hold up a mirror reflecting modern times. “Funny how prescient all that stuff feels now in the era of Trump,” Dwyer says. “I could see doing that story arc now with Walker sporting a red MAGA hat.”

WEST COAST AGENT

U.S.Agent was relocated from the Captain America series and placed into West Coast Avengers. At the time, John Byrne was the writer and artist on that title. In West Coast Avengers #44 (May 1989), the penultimate chapter of the title’s “VisionQuest” storyline, government liaison Raymond Sikorski informed the team that if they wanted continued federal funding they would have to accept a new team member appointed by Washington: U.S.Agent. Just like U.S.Agent was forced on the West Coast Avengers by the United States government, the character was forced onto Byrne for use in the series. In a May 17, 2007 post to his Byrne Robotics forum, Byrne stated, “Orders from On High. Same thing that put Quasar in the Avengers.” In a different post a year earlier, Byrne remarked, “I thought the character was interesting enough, and Mark Gruenwald and I had worked out some elements that would have added a lot, had they been allowed to see fruition in AWC.” As such, U.S.Agent found himself largely a hanger-on amid the Avengers, eclipsed by more visible characters like the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, the introduction of the offbeat Great Lakes Avengers, and the return of the original Human Torch. Still, the book provided exposure for the character. The title was changed to Avengers West Coast with issue #48 (Sept. 1989). Byrne’s last issue of AWC was #57 (Apr. 1990). Fabian Nicieza and Danny Fingeroth would pen fill-ins before a new writing team took the helm….

SOLO AGENT

Meanwhile, U.S.Agent was featured in several solo stories during his time as a West Coast Avenger, ranging from one-off backups to an entire miniseries.

Political Divide (top) Battlestar and Cap vs. Left-Winger and Right-Winger, in CA #345. (bottom) Flag-Smasher unfurls our hero on the Ron Frenz/Milgrom cover to issue #348. TM & © Marvel.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 55

U.S.Agent Makes the Scene (top left) Walker returned to action—in the Captain’s togs—as U.S.Agent in Captain America #354 (June 1989). Cover by Dwyer and Milgrom. (top middle) Avengers West Coast writer/artist John Byrne didn’t give much ink to U.S.Agent, although the hero managed to score this cover appearance (issue #54, Jan. 1990) in Byrne’s homage to Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #1 cover. (top right) Denys Cowan cover to Avengers Spotlight #31 (Apr. 1990), which launched the U.S.Agent story arc. (bottom) A solo story in issue #104 (Apr. 1992) of the anthology title Marvel Comics Presents—a series we recently explored in BACK ISSUE #110. By Scott Lobdell, Paul Abrams, and Tim Tuohy. TM & © Marvel.

Walker appeared in Avengers Spotlight #31–34 (Apr.–July 1990) in the four-part serial “The Xenophobic Man,” written by Fabian Nicieza, with artwork by Dan Lawlis and Keith Williams. Here, a highly conflicted U.S.Agent had to stop someone who was killing illegal immigrants, although Walker was personally opposed to illegal immigration. Nicieza tells BACK ISSUE about the genesis of this storyline: “It was originally developed in my mind as a Captain America inventory story, but, if memory serves, [editors] Greg Wright or Howard Mackie thought it would make a better U.S.Agent idea, so I basically took the same exact story structure but then changed it to accommodate U.S.Agent. The story took different turns as a result of John Walker’s personality and approach being so different than Steve Rogers. I honestly don’t recall much of the story or its publication, since it was at a time in my career when I was burning the candle at 46 ends, much less two.” 56 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

Walker coming face-to-face with his own prejudices provided a strong plot for the writer to explore. Nicieza states, “I think any story I tell with a character that has extreme points of view is to give him, as we were taught, a strong can’t/must conflict. ‘I can’t do this but I must do that, but if I do that, then this bad thing will happen.’ Having John confront his own ignorance or rigidity through an even more extreme point of view to his own was honestly a pretty easy way to approach the story. I always took the easy way out when it also happened to work for the character or the story.” This tale might seem especially relevant today due to its similarities to the politicizing of immigration debates that find their way into each day’s news cycle. “‘Today’ is rarely as important as most people fabian nicieza now seem to think it is,” Nicieza © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. expresses. “This was an extremely relevant issue in the early ’90s and a really relevant issue in the 1920s and in the 1870s, etc. People’s perceptions of borders and national law have always been relevant. I think today’s times actually cheapen the discussion in a course and often-hypocritical manner. The good thing about doing a story like ‘The Xenophobic Man’ is that you can try and make it about people, which makes it much more emotional than by talking about it like some sort of blanket boogey-man.” Nicieza’s final thoughts on U.S.Agent: “He was a really interesting character created by Mark Gruenwald at a really interesting time. I enjoyed reading about him under Mark’s guidance, and because of my love for him, it was an honor, in hindsight, to get to write a John Walker story.” U.S.Agent appeared in a one-off solo story in Marvel Comics Presents #104 (June 1992), with a plot by Scott Lobdell, script by Paula Foye, and pencils by Paul Abrams. U.S.Agent faced off against Peacemonger, who derived his physical powers from the hate of others. U.S.Agent was even popular enough to warrant his own fourissue miniseries beginning with a June 1993 cover-dated first issue, written by Mark Gruenwald, penciled by M. C. Wyman, and inked by Keith Williams. It dealt with extreme vigilantism and provided Gruenwald another chance to show Walker’s character growth. U.S.Agent faced off against the Scourge of the Underworld, an organization that trained people to kill criminals. A former Scourge operative named Lisa Winters enlisted U.S.Agent’s help because she had chickened out on her first assignment to kill a former criminal named the Matador, and Winters was now being hunted by the organization. In U.S.Agent #1 there is a scene that is reminiscent of Walker’s first appearance in Captain America #323 that shows Walker’s maturation as a hero. In Captain America, Walker didn’t help an elderly woman who was being mugged because it wasn’t a notable matter. In U.S.Agent, Walker takes the time to assist an elderly man who needs help changing a tire. “You must have something better to do than help a guy change a flat,” the older man said. Walker’s reply was, “No, right now I don’t.” It is a great character moment and proves that Gruenwald’s former SuperPatriot has grown past his grandstanding. In U.S.Agent #4 (Sept. 1993), U.S.Agent came face-to-face with Thomas Halloway, the man behind the Scourge organization. Halloway had been the Golden Age superhero the Avenging Angel and formed the Scourge because an innocent bystander had been killed by a bullet meant for him. U.S.Agent’s retort: “You claim you wanted to help America, but you’ve subverted the America system of justice!” Walker’s evolution as a character was further shown in the final issue when he stated, “I understand what motivated that old man [Halloway]. I’ve done things I feel I need to make amends for… I just hope that unlike him, I can see the path to true salvation.”

Walking Tall (top) U.S.Agent, in his own limited series! Issue #1 (June 1993) cover by M. C. Wyman. (bottom) Courtesy of Heritage, a moody original art page from U.S.Agent #3. By Gruenwald, Wyman, and Keith Williams. TM & © Marvel.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 57

AGENT WEST COAST

Roy and Dann Thomas took over the writing duties on Avengers West Coast with issue #60 (July 1990), although over time Roy’s wife Dann would segue off the book. How did the former scribe of The Avengers receive this assignment? “The editor [Howard Mackie] invited me to do so,” Thomas recalls. “It was in the middle of a John Byrne storyline, and (though no one said so) I took it there might’ve been some falling-out between the two of them. No one even suggested what Byrne might have had in mind to finish off the story arc (I asked about that, got no real answer)… they just tossed me in and expected me to come up with something.” During his time on the team, U.S.Agent seemed to have disagreements with the rest of the Avengers on a regular basis, especially Hawkeye. Thomas tells BI, “I’m afraid the details of those stories aren’t as sharp in my mind as those of The Avengers a decade or so earlier, as I was less involved, not being the editor, controlling the covers, etc. But naturally we needed conflict… and at some time or other, Hawkeye was at odds with pretty much everybody, wasn’t he?” Roy and Dann Thomas continued to show Walker’s growth as a character during their time writing Avengers West Coast. The Commission gave U.S.Agent a mission to kill the second Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter) in issue #71 (June 1991). Like Walker, Carpenter was an agent of the Commission, and the Commission wanted her eliminated. In issue #72 (July 1991), U.S.Agent fought Spider-Woman but realized he didn’t want to kill her. He also realized he didn’t want to kill anyone else, either. Although Walker would continue to work for the Commission, he wouldn’t do so blindly. Captain America and U.S.Agent both see themselves as patriots, but they have opposing viewpoints.

How did Thomas see them? “Americanism, like any other ism, means different things to different people. Perhaps U.S.Agent had a bit too much tunnel vision… but who’s to say the opposite viewpoint is necessarily right?” With U.S.Agent being similar to Captain America, how did Thomas approach writing John Walker? He tells BACK ISSUE, “I thought of them as two totally separate characters… no more real connection than Cap had to, say, Iron Man.” Although U.S.Agent started as a villain in the pages of Captain America, he was turned into a hero. How does Thomas feel about the character’s story arc from villain to hero? “I don’t recall the details of his origin, etc. But I presume that, somewhere along the line, somebody realized that, ‘Jeez, we shouldn’t have a character called U.S.Agent who was a total villain.’ I know that I wouldn’t have allowed it as editor, and neither would Stan [Lee]. It was all part of trendy anti-Americanism, or at least a loaded viewpoint. Still, that’s not to say that a person with ulterior aims might have claimed to be a patriot. Politicians do it all the time.” During this time period, U.S.Agent and the Avengers West Coast were featured in several crossover storylines. Avengers West Coast #80–82 (Mar. 1992–May 1992) was part of the “Operation Galactic Storm” crossover between AWC and The Avengers, as well as other series. In Avengers #345 (Mar. 1992), Walker was initially assigned to the Kree Force Team before being reassigned to the Earth Force Team. The Avengers West Coast were also part of the “Bloodlines” crossover with the X-Men and the Avengers. The event saw U.S.Agent team up with Peter Gyrich and Beast to protect Professor Xavier. Avengers West Coast ended with issue #102 (Jan. 1994), its cover featuring a clash between U.S.Agent and Captain America. However, Roy Thomas’ last issue was #101. Thomas had tried unsuccessfully to convince Marvel to do an Atlantabased Avengers South book and moved on when changes were afoot. “It was replaced with Force Works with a whole new art-andstory team,” Thomas explains. “I was happy when it shortly failed, because I felt I wasn’t well-treated near the end.”

roy thomas

A FORCE IN THE WORKS

Change of Heart (top) When first seen in Cap #323, the pompous Walker dismissed an elderly lady’s mugging as trivial, but by the time he starred in the first issue of his own miniseries (bottom), he was more willing to help the common man. TM & © Marvel.

With the breakup of the Avengers West Coast in issue #102, John Walker/Jack Daniels was out of the superhero business… but only for a short time. U.S.Agent, along with displaced former ACW members Iron Man, Wonder Man, Spider-Woman II, Scarlet Witch, and the newly created character Century, formed the team Force Works, premiering in Force Works #1 (July 1994), under the creative direction of writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, penciler Tom Tenney, and inker Rey Garcia. Story-wise, the Avengers West Coast were dissolved because the East Coast Avengers didn’t feel that the depleted West Coast team could function, so Tony Stark formed the new team. There’s more to that story, however,

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as Force Works penciler Tom Tenney tells BACK ISSUE: “If I remember correctly, it was to go in a grittier direction than The Avengers. The initial title was Power Works, but that was changed to Force Works. I liked the direction and was very happy to be part of the team changing the series.” U.S.Agent’s costume was given a makeover. Tenney, who created the new look for the hero, recalls, “The idea was to put some separation between Captain America and U.S.Agent. We wanted to give him a new [electric] shield and look that incorporated a costume designed by Tony Stark.” The new uniform also included a new electric shield that was designed by Tony Stark. “We went through various designs,” Tenney remembers. “I forget how many I designed, but the mask was so different for the costume selected to be used for Force Works. It was mask never seen on a character before, something gritty and new, which was the point to Force Works. The team was not the norm anymore. “Whenever I drew characters or to this date draw any character, I think of who would play them in a film, sort of a reference that I keep in mind,” the artist reveals. “For the U.S.Agent it was NFL Hall of Fame linebacker and pregame host Howie Long. That’s who I selected and would draw him as. For Tony Stark it was Timothy Dalton, for Century (who, by the way, was not aged, but had skin of living tree bark), it was Ace Frehley [of KISS].” Even though Tenney was on the series from the beginning, he didn’t last very long. “A bit of a long story, but the idea was for me to do six to 12 issues of the series. I was as well working for DC at the same

time reworking Dr. Fate and other books there. I was completely swamped, but did #1 through 5 and the ashcan of Force Works. I was able to continue on the series, but an offer came to me from Image to join them, namely Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Studios, and after careful consideration, I went to Image. If it would have been possible and I would have enjoyed doing all the books on my plate including Force Works, but it was too heavy of a load. I would have liked returning to Force Works later, because I enjoyed working with the entire team on the series, but the book ended. I did, however, return to Marvel later to do something else.” Tenney felt that Force Works did a great job with the character of U.S.Agent: “Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, and editor Nel Yomtov handled U.S.Agent great in the series. They had a direction and stayed the course. I love the character and would enjoy revisiting him.” Regarrding his unique style on Force Works, Tenney tells BACK ISSUE, “People had thought I had taken a big gamble with the style I drew Force Works in. But we wanted to do things differently with the series and I wanted to stick to that. So I used a more European style of comic art. A French comic artist by the name of Philippe Druillet had heavily influenced me as an artist growing up. So the style of Force Works and the character Century were my homage to Philippe.” The series lasted for 22 issues, with a succession of artists following Tenney on the title. The final issue (Apr. 1996) saw the dissolution of the team. “Many fans have been asking us to reboot Force Works, and I would

Doesn’t Play Well with Others (left) A superhero smackdown on the cover of the Roy and Dann Thomaswritten Avengers West Coast #69 (Apr. 1991). Cover by Paul Ryan and Danny Bulanadi. (right) With issue #102 of that mag, the Avengers ended its West Coast wing—and U.S.Agent doesn’t look too happy about it. Cover by Dave Ross and Tim Dzon. TM & © Marvel.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 59

A New Image (top) The members of the newly minted Force Works, on the Tom Tenney/Rey Garcia wraparound cover for issue #1 (July 1994). (bottom) U.S.Agent and Spider-Woman II arrive to save the day in this exciting Tenney/ Garcia page from Force Works #1. TM & © Marvel.

enjoy doing so,” Tenney admits. “This year [2019] marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the series, and the interest on the series has been rocketing.”

CIVIL WAR, OMEGA FLIGHT, AND BEYOND

During Marvel Comics’ “Civil War” event, Walker, back in his original U.S.Agent costume which he first returned to wearing in Thunderbolts #23 (Feb. 1999), sided with Iron Man, once against standing against Captain America in the process. In the Civil War: Choosing Sides anthology one-shot (Dec. 2006), Tony Stark assigned Walker to the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight as an American tom tenney liaison to protect US interests in Canada. Walker initially refused the assignment, even in the face of a court martial, but eventually took it after being attacked and left for dead by the Purple Man, who then fled to the Great White North with U.S.Agent’s shield. This story was written by Mike Oeming, with art by Scott Kolins, and led directly into the Omega Flight series by the same creative team. In the Omega Flight series, U.S.Agent was joined by his former West Coast Avenger/Force Works teammate Julia Carpenter, who was no longer Spider-Woman but now going by the codename Arachne. The rest of the team was filled out by Beta Ray Bill, Guardian (Michael Pointer), Talisman, and team leader Sasquatch. The team fought villains, like the Wrecking Crew, who had been crossing the border to get away from the madness going on in America and try to stake their claim to the supposedly unguarded country. The final issue (Oct. 2007) of the five-issue miniseries saw U.S.Agent catch up with the Purple Man, defeat him, and take back his shield. Marvel Comics has always been known for complex and intriguing characters, and John Walker was no exception. He grew from what could have been a one-note villain into a mainstay of the Marvel Universe. This article is dedicated to Mark Gruenwald, not just for his creation of John Walker but for crafting many outstanding stories and keeping readers (this author included) coming back for more month after month. Thanks also to Kieron Dwyer, Ralph Macchio, Fabian Nicieza, Roy Thomas, and Tom Tenney for their invaluable assistance with this article, plus Howard Mackie and Dann Thomas, who responded to queries for this article but were unable to assist with it. ED LUTE is an educator, geek, and freelance writer. He loves being able to write about comics. He lives in southern New Jersey with his family.

60 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

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“Azrael – The angel of death in Jewish and Islamic thought…” – Merriam-Webster Dictionary The name Azrael is not a new one, but the character named Azrael made his first appearance in DC Comics’ Batman: Sword of Azrael four-part miniseries beginning in 1992. The co-creation of writer Denny O’Neil and penciler Joe Quesada, this avenging angel would very soon capture the attention of Batman and ultimately change the Dark Knight’s world.

THE AVENGING ANGEL APPEARS

The action begins immediately in issue #1 (Oct. 1992) when a figure dressed in classic medieval knight gear, wielding a flaming sword, is seen confronting one Carleton Lehah in his downtown Gotham City apartment with the words, “Know that men call you liar! Know that men call you betrayer! Know that men call you defiler! Therefore, it is the duty of the angel Azrael to bring you punishment!” Lehah, however, is prepared for this walking nightmare, firing several rounds from a pistol that send the self-proclaimed angel into a bloody heap on the floor. Azrael, however, strikes out savagely with the sword, damaging the eye of Lehah just before crashing through the terrace window and down to the street where a steed waits to spirit him away. Mortally wounded, the figure soon falls from the back of the horse and limps to a doorway with an alley access and a young, blond-haired man gasps, “Father!” Moments before dying on his son’s bed, the man instructs him to abandon his body and get the package he’s left in his son’s care. The man then breathes his last. Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne has taken an interest in the reports of an angel falling from the sky and disrupting a downtown parade. It was also notably near the penthouse apartment of Carleton Lehah, an underworld financier and dealer in exotic ammunition, such as armor-piercing Teflon bullets, and also involved in gunrunning. The young man, meanwhile, has followed his father’s instructions, finding in the package a telephone number, a large amount of currency, and a letter. The instructions in the letter lead him to fly to a small airfield in Switzerland and rendezvous with a driver, who delivers him to a tiny mountain village, where he is met by Nomoz, a small, gnome-like man dressed like a monk, who is to be his new teacher in an unnamed “system.” The training begins with some physical abuse by another man while Nomoz describes the preparations that will ensue, paving the way for the young man to replace his father in a secret organization dating to the 14th Century and that he shall be the new Azrael. The organization is described as the ancient order of St. Dumas. Back in Gotham City, the World’s Greatest Detective has been busy attempting to unravel the mystery of the fallen angel. Fieldwork indicates that the bullets used on him were coated with Teflon and he is able to find the lost sword of the angel, with an unfamiliar insignia on the blade’s handle. It is a match for the sigil Nomoz displays to the trainee with a depiction of St. Dumas. Nomoz further tells the young man that he has been receiving subliminal instruction since his earliest days at the hand of his late father and that it would seem to be the stuff of dreams, but when the sigil and proper suggestions are given to him, he instinctively responds to the next attack. The former graduate student at Gotham University is now a lethal force, ready for more indoctrination and training. It is further explained that he is the latest in a long line in his family to bear the mantle of Azrael. Segue to the Batman, calling upon Oracle to help in his search. With that assistance, our hero soon learns the origins of the order of St. Dumas. A splinter group from the Knights Templar, they were led by

There’s a New Bat in Town Bane gets what’s comin’ to him on Kelley Jones’ cover to Batman #500 (Oct. 1993), the newsstand variant. TM & © DC Comics.

62 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

by B

ryan D. Stroud

a man named Dumas, fought in the Crusades, and took their substantial plunder and disappeared, perhaps to Switzerland. Bruce and Alfred then use the intelligence gleaned from surveillance of Lehah’s quarters to head to Lucerno, and hopefully to discover the secrets there. The journey, however, does not go as planned. Separately, Lehah, Nomoz, and the young recruit lie in wait, and when the helicopter bearing Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth are in range, an RPG is brought into play by Lehah, blowing the craft out of the sky. The duo survives, but their mission is put on hold while Bruce and Alfred become more concerned with their survival. The blast, meanwhile, has started an avalanche, which is being ridden out by the pupil and Nomoz in an underground shelter, fully stocked with foodstuffs and survival gear. The snow is not the only thing shaken loose. Lehah, aloft in his own helicopter, barely recovers from the shock waves and is convinced he’s been saved by the demon god called Biis, to whom he swears his undying fealty. Indeed, Lehah’s mental faculties are perhaps the last casualty of the carnage. As Wayne and Pennyworth begin to snowshoe their way out, a hovercraft appears, bearing both Nomoz and the successor to the mantle of Azrael. Nomoz orders the young man to don the costume and destroy the “demon” in the form of the Batman. Hand-to-hand combat ensues in the snow until Nomoz calls for Azrael’s retreat after he loses his sword and they depart in the hovercraft while Batman decides to investigate the shelter. We see that Nomoz holds a device to detonate the hidden explosives within, while the scene then shifts to reveal a new and improved Azrael costume that the gnome looks upon approvingly. (Azrael’s cape may have been somewhat reminiscent of Steve Ditko’s design for Hank Hall’s Hawk costume in The Hawk and the Dove, with its non-traditional, blade-like construction.) The young man asks his instructor to explain more about the Order and a brief history is offered, along with

a more in-depth understanding of the mission of Azrael, who is to take vengeance upon any who apostatize from the order, such as this case with Carleton Lehah. With a segue back to the shelter, the World’s Greatest Detective has discovered the explosives and the detonation system, which was fortunately thwarted by a loose wire, likely jarred from its connection by the explosion. Elsewhere, Nomoz and his young protégé are in search of the renegade Lehah and another member of the Order in a hospital. A showdown ensues as Lehah is there in the guise of Biis, but it appears the first battle casualty is the young man as he is blown out of the hospital window, and is soon discovered by the recently arrived Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Bruce takes advantage of his anonymity and leaps up into the room and begins to pursue Lehah, but ends up in a storage area containing ether and other chemicals of the medical trade, which are soon used to full advantage by Lehah. Our hero is captured while Alfred is forced by Nomoz to attend to the young man, who is battered, but very much alive after the assault by Lehah and the fall from the hospital window. An uneasy alliance is secured as the members of the order of St. Dumas and Alfred are united in their desire to locate Lehah and Bruce Wayne, respectively. They soon arrive at another member of the order’s home in England and Azrael, in full battle garb, is ready to challenge Lehah, who is

DC’s Punisher Azrael v.1, premiering in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (Oct. 1992), by Denny O’Neil, Joe Quesada, and Kevin Nowlan. Cover and page 1. TM & © DC Comics.

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Ring of Fire The utterly astounding original cover art by Quesada and Nowlan to the Sword of Azrael trade paperback. Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www. ha.com). TM & © DC Comics.

Co-creator and writer Denny O’Neil shares some on a mission to find and kill these other members of the of his concepts about Jean-Paul Valley as Azrael with Order of St. Dumas. BACK ISSUE: “It was tricky, because if I had told the Azrael fights like a demon, taking down security forces left and right in a merciless fashion, readers this guy was going to be the next but Lehah is able to escape. The young man, Batman, we’d have sold out everything that Nomoz, and Alfred plot the next move we’d originally printed and a lot more. and decide it must be in Texas, where But that would damage the story to Lehah himself is said to dwell. come and we didn’t want to do that. We thought it was more important At that location, an idled oil refinery, Lehah has Bruce Wayne trussed up for to deliver a strong miniseries than to torture when Azrael arrives to mete make a lot of money on one issue. out the vengeance he has been trained I think we brought it off. Nobody figured to accomplish. Lehah fires his pistol out what was going to happen. And I owe a lot of credit to Joe Quesada, who I and only succeeds in striking the piping thought did a superb job.” above, dropping petroleum byproducts onto an acetylene torch he’d Batman: Sword of Azrael artist dropped and engulfing the chamber Quesada’s design of the original dennis o’neil in flames. Then, ignoring the direction Azrael costume was critical to the of Nomoz, Azrael strides forward to © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. character, and Denny shares a little free Bruce Wayne. about his limited inputs to Joe’s designs: “I don’t know The quartet escape just as the inferno becomes an exactly what I had in mind. I guess something that was explosion. Nomoz shrieks at his protégé that he has closer to the angel we know from Christmas. That kind disobeyed and disgraced his mantle as an angel of of white-clad little boring guy, but Joe started from square vengeance. The young man replies simply that he is a man one and did what he thought was a good costume. and not an angel and that his name is Jean-Paul Valley, I certainly didn’t quarrel with that decision that he made. like that of his father, wrapping up issue #4 (Jan. 1993), It doesn’t read as ‘angel’ to me. That’s the only quarrel the final installment of this introductory miniseries. I might have with it.”

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Flame On! From Heritage’s digital vault, breathtaking original art by Joe Quesada and Kevin Nowlan to the cover of Batman: Sword of Azrael #4 (Jan. 1993). The published version appears in the inset. TM & © DC Comics.

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THE DARK KNIGHT FALLS, AND RISES

Secret Order Revealed (top) Azrael II and Robin, on the Travis Charest-drawn cover of Batman #488 (Jan. 1993). (bottom) In that issue, Batman brings the Teen Wonder up to speed on Jean-Paul Valley. By Moench and Aparo. TM & © DC Comics.

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The Sword of Azrael four-part miniseries was jam-packed with adventure, even taking place across locations in Europe, and served as the bedrock for the further evolution of the character that would see fruition in an epic storyline encompassing most of DC’s Bat-titles. For example, beginning with issue #488 of Batman (Jan. 1993), Bruce Wayne has decided to take Jean-Paul Valley under his wing, partly to help override the dangerous brainwashing of the system and partly out of gratitude for the part Jean-Paul played in saving Bruce’s life. The continuity will lead to places Bruce Wayne would never have expected and would ultimately lead to his surrender of the cowl. Bruce begins slowly, giving Jean-Paul Valley a job with WayneTech in the security department. He has also instructed Robin to help retrain Azrael while Bruce tries to rest, but it is apparent something is very wrong with our hero as he cannot seem to find any relaxation and his body begins to show the resulting cracks. The training-by-night includes a ninja-like costume, and soon Robin is putting Jean-Paul through his paces, with techniques more befitting justice rather than the vengeance typical of Azrael. Jean-Paul is effective as they take down a biker gang, but is still prone to the dictates of the system, getting a bit overzealous in his efforts. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, is not getting better and has enlisted the aid of Dr. Shondra Kinsolving to try and bring him back from numbing fatigue. Meanwhile, Killer Croc is on the loose in Gotham City, but Bruce Wayne is in no condition to tackle the menace. Tim Drake, the current Robin, has an idea and he brings a familiar uniform for Jean-Paul Valley to try on for size. So begins his first night as a stand-in for the Batman. Unbeknownst to the good guys, however, is the background menace of Bane, who has also been monitoring the activities of Killer Croc and who has designs of his own to take down Batman. The baptism by fire of Jean-Paul Valley ends when the battle with Killer Croc goes badly and Bane shows up and takes down Killer Croc, then departs, dismissing the man wearing the costume as not being the real Batman. Jean-Paul tells Robin he desires his training to begin in earnest while Bruce Wayne, in a convalescent state, continues to struggle. Ultimately, however, the drive that propels Bruce Wayne will not allow further rest and he relives his substitute to answer the call of the Batman. Meeting up with James Gordon, the Batman is being surveilled by Bane, who notes that he is moving slowly, as if in pain and he sets up a plot to use the venom that fuels him and an unwitting Riddler to create a difficulty for the World’s Greatest Detective. When Batman meets up with the venom-fueled Riddler, it is a much more physical altercation than usual, taking a heavy toll on the Dark Knight. His reserves are dwindling and Bane is preparing. With an eye toward conquering the Batman, Bane arrives at a sinister plan and soon puts the wheels in motion. Bringing in heavy weaponry, Bane and his gang destroy key sections of Arkham Asylum in order to release the most dangerous members of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, complete with crates of armaments and ammunition. It is utter chaos at the asylum. With Batman #492 (May 1993), the “Knightfall” saga officially begins and the new artist, Norm Breyfogle, takes the opportunity to insert a couple of familiar names and one visage into the computer screen Batman and Robin are viewing of the Arkham escapees, namely Breyfogle and writer Doug Moench. That lighthearted touch, however, belies the drama unfolding as an exhausted Batman makes it his personal responsibility to bring the inmates back into custody. The Batman begins to tackle his old foes systematically, and Bane continues to watch and learn and to wait for the right time to strike. Mad Hatter, Zsasz, Cornelius Stirk, Firefly, Poison Ivy and her gang, and an endless line of other foes cause the Batman to be in almost continuous nightly battle, while Jean-Paul Valley trains with a greater obsession to try to be ready. Robin even suggests that the former Azrael can relieve the desperately weary Batman, but Bruce is having none of it as he doggedly pursues each escapee.

Finally, our hero tackles the twin terrors of the Scarecrow and the Joker, who have kidnapped Gotham City’s mayor. In his exhausted state, Batman nearly beats the Joker to death, invoking the name of Jason Todd with each blow and stopping himself from outright murder at the last minute. Then, in Batman #497 (July 1993), the unthinkable occurs when Bane strikes, entering Wayne Manor and ultimately the Batcave beneath it to take down the Batman and to claim Gotham City for his own. Alfred retreats to get help from Tim Drake while a punishing battle ensues and the reserves of the Dark Knight are completely drained. Bane’s final move is to break the back of the Batman over his leg. Now Bruce Wayne has no choice. His body has been so thoroughly damaged that his only hope in keeping the lid on Gotham City is to allow Jean-Paul Valley to don the mantle of the bat. Jean-Paul accepts the responsibility and vows to Robin (Tim Drake) that he’ll be better and less impulsive, but his promises will prove to be hollow as he embraces violence when dealing with the underworld. Further, he is shutting out Robin and insisting on going it alone as the new Batman. Tim Drake recognizes the danger in this path, likening it to the time after his predecessor, Jason Todd, was killed, which led to the Batman growing ever darker and grimmer without the leavening balance of a Robin to keep him grounded. Jean-Paul Valley, meanwhile, continues to give no quarter and the influence of the system on his psyche is still quite apparent as he goes into what amounts to a trance as he redesigns and “improves” the costume of the Batman, including the addition of Azrael-like gauntlets and the capability to fire Bat-shaped shuriken from them.

THE BANE OF BRUCE WAYNE’S EXISTENCE

Before leaving the country, Bruce orders his stand-in not to take on Bane, but Jean-Paul Valley is defiant. A reckoning is coming, and quickly. Jean-Paul Valley’s attitude is increasingly arrogant, violent, and barely in control as he goes forth to defeat Bane once and for all. His alienation of Tim Drake is complete and the modifications to the Bat-suit are more and more radical; it is all but unrecognizable. He has reached the point of obsession, and nothing will stand between him and a showdown with the venom-fueled villain. The battle is savage, and neither grappler is giving any quarter when Jean-Paul Valley notices the venom feed tubes as part of Bane’s regalia and promptly severs the source of his freakish strength. In a state of near panic, Bane flees to a train station with the substitute Batman hot on his heels and the fight begins anew on the train. Ultimately, Jean-Paul Valley is triumphant, and despite the pleas of his fallen foe, he refuses to take Bane’s life. With Bane having been vanquished, Jean-Paul Valley is now somewhat at loose ends. His relationship with Commissioner Gordon is strained and despite efforts on the part of Robin, he cannot reach Jean-Paul Valley. The former Azrael’s fragile mind is still reeling from all the radical changes in his life and as he ponders his next move, an apparition seems to appear to him in the Batcave claiming to be St. Dumas and calling him on a quest. The appearance of St. Dumas only adds to his confused and conflicted state. Is he angel or demon or both? Despite it all, he is both driven and determined and a big part of that determination is to be a better Batman

Down and Dirty Bat-tactics Tim Drake-Robin learns of Jean-Paul Valley’s vastly different ideology in Batman #500. By Moench and Aparo. TM & © DC Comics.

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than Bruce Wayne, but St. Dumas has other plans. The apparition accuses him of wearing another man’s mantle. Jean-Paul’s father also makes an appearance, adding further doubts into the mind of his namesake son. Jean-Paul Valley has reached a decision for the object of his quest. He will bring Abbatoir, who had previously slipped through his fingers, to justice. He continues to waver between the pathways of vengeance and staying within the bounds of the law, but he is fixated on this latest self-appointed mission, feeling it is his shot at redemption. When he finds Abbatoir at last, hunter and quarry are in a foundry. As he seeks desperately to escape the nightmare figure of Batman, Abbatoir is forced into a position where he is dangling above the smelter. Just then, Jean-Paul Valley sees both St. Dumas and his father, who are giving him opposing advice, like a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Paralyzed into confused inaction, he allows Abbatoir to fall to his death. Wracked and tormented and still being visited by St. Dumas and his father, Jean-Paul Valley stands accused. He has been excommunicated from the order of St. Dumas, and while trying to replace the Batman has failed in that mission as well. Determined to salvage something, he goes after a gunrunning operation, but before he can yield to base impulses, he is confronted by a rejuvenated Batman. Bruce Wayne had been receiving miraculous healing treatments from Dr. Kinsolving and then retraining from hand-to-hand combat master Lady Shiva and is again at the peak of his abilities. He has received reports from Robin about his replacement and he is ready to fully reclaim the mantle of the bat. Jean-Paul Valley has other ideas, however, and there will be a final battle. That epic battle took place across Batman #510, Detective Comics #677, Legends of the Dark Knight #63, and Robin #9, all with cover dates of August 1994 and branded under the “KnightsEnd” story arc. It spanned all the way from the top of a suspension bridge and into the very depths of the Batcave as the struggle for the rightful holder of the title of Batman took place. At one point, Jean-Paul Valley cries out that if he is not Batman then he is nothing.

But in the end there can be only one, and the World’s Greatest Detective demonstrates once again that only he has the qualifications when he not only triumphs over his former substitute, but also shows a remarkable mercy toward the man who had been his adversary. Jean-Paul Valley then heads toward an uncertain future, but that would be a fleeting state for him as he would soon reclaim his place as Azrael. Denny O’Neil offers other memories of how the concept of Azrael came to fruition: “We had decided to do that very long continuity. One Monday morning Jordan [Gorfinkel, of O’Neil’s Batman editorial group] came in and he had spent the weekend doing the outline. We knew Batman was going to be taken off the board for a while. We knew we had to have an antagonist, somebody to substitute for Batman. “That requirement suggested certain things. He’d something have to be an acrobat; he’d have to be a martial artist. And I thought it was about time we did secret societies. “It fell to me to do this character, because the conventional wisdom was that we needed someone who was completely familiar with this incredibly complicated 2000-page continuity, and since I was editing the whole thing, I was the logical choice. “I think some cranky fans thought I was giving myself a lot of [royalty] money. No. I was giving a lot of money to Doug Moench at that time, because he got to do Batman #500, which sold out quickly. I got my usual page rate. “So, the first thing I thought was, ‘What’s the opposite of a bat?’ I went and looked that up, and the answer is that is the bat’s natural enemy is man. We are their enemies. So, what am I going to do? Create a character called the ‘Bat-bat’ or something like that? That wasn’t going to work. “I was thumbing through a Funk & Wagnalls dictionary of mythology and the word ‘Azrael’ caught my eye. So, I read the entry and thought, ‘An evil angel. That’s really not bad. We haven’t done that, and it would work.’ “So, we set about putting the rest of the very complicated continuity together. I did Azrael thinking I was doing a villain, and if I have any regrets about those stories, it’s not making him bad enough. He needed to be more of a stinker. I chickened out a little bit.”

One of These Knights (top) Stand-in Batman “AzBat” vs. the Dark Knight, on Kelley Jones’ cover to Batman #510 (Aug. 1994). (bottom) Joe Quesada’s 1993 designs for a Knightfall Batman action figure, with Bob Wiacek inks. Courtesy of Heritage. TM & © DC Comics.

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Spinoff Star Penciler Barry Kitson and inker James Pascoe were O’Neil’s art collaborators once Azrael was launched in his own monthly series beginning in late 1994. TM & © DC Comics.

ART IMITATES LIFE

The “Knightfall” storyline would prove so popular that Denny O’Neil was later called on to adapt it to novel form, which was a task he undertook partly at the behest of his late wife, Marifran. “It was probably the most interesting mountain I’ve ever climbed, and I never want to climb it again,” O’Neil recounts. “After we came up with the stunt, which is that somebody else takes over as Batman for a year… they decided since the Superman guys were doing something similar [“The Death of Superman” and “The Reign of the Supermen,” which we will explore in a future issue—ed.], which I didn’t know until we were well into our continuity, that there was going to be some novels and I was the only Batman writer who arguably had a grasp of the entire thing. But I was also a working editor, I had a day job, and they insisted that the novel be at least 100,000 words long. We agonized over it for a little bit and finally Marifran said, ‘You’ll hate yourself if somebody else does it.’ “So, while we were in the process of creating the comic-book continuity, which ended up over 1100 pages long, I was at night subjecting myself to the discipline of, after dinner, ‘Close the door [so I can write].’ I’d done the arithmetic—I knew how many words I had to do every day to meet the deadline. I would do that number of words and then stop. In the middle of it, we were going home for Christmas, and I had a portable computer with the novel on it in the backseat of a Pontiac… which was destroyed when I fell asleep at the wheel and smashed into a barrier doing approximately 65 miles per hour. The car flipped over three times—we didn’t know that until later. And we spent Christmas in the intensive care ward.” O’Neil actually referenced his horrific real-world accident in his Knightfall novel: “The following morning, Bruce took a commercial flight to Pittsburgh, rented a car, and before noon was driving west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Traffic was sparse. Seeing snow falling in large slow flakes reminded Bruce that it was Christmas Eve. “At three in the afternoon, he passed an accident site. A black Pontiac Grand Prix was overturned in the middle of the highway. He slowed, planning to offer help, but he saw that an ambulance was already there and paramedics were loading a man and a woman onto stretchers; he wasn’t needed.” Of that passage, O’Neil remarks, “That was a little nudge, a little inside joke. The only thing I was worried about was the computer, and I asked the doctor on Christmas morning, [chuckle] ‘Would you please go out to the wreckage of the car and get the computer?’ And bless him, he did and he brought it back and it was still working, and so I hadn’t lost the novel. “I had some of it saved on disk, but not all, so I lost two weeks [of work], in effect, before I could really reasonably get back to work and we went right down to the wire. The last three days… well, we made this arrangement where every Saturday morning Marifran and I would drive out to a big shopping mall at the end of Brooklyn and meet [the novel’s editor] Charlie Kochman there and I would deliver pages to him, so he was editing as he went along. At the end, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Charlie came to our place in Brooklyn and we did the final line-by-line edit at my desk, with Marifran bringing lemonade and cookies every few hours. We finished editing it Monday morning at 11:00, and I think it went to the press at 12:00. It was right down to the wire, and a really interesting thing to do. [My thinking was,] ‘I don’t have time to worry if this is good or not. The only thing I have to do is get it done somehow.’ “I had a bestseller out of it, something that most writers don’t ever have a chance to enjoy. So, I was really glad to have managed to accept the challenge, but, my God, that was a seriously work-laden six months. I think we actually did it in five and a half.” Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 69

From Out of the Lazarus Pit… O’Neil brought his co-creations Ra’s al Ghul and Talia into the pages of Azrael. From the Heritage archives, original art by Kitson and Pascoe, from issue #6 (July 1995). TM & © DC Comics.

barry kitson Gyrostat.

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Rebranding (left) The series was renamed Azrael: Agent of the Bat beginning with issue #47 (Dec. 1998). (right) Azrael’s flashy new look, on the cover of issue #51 (Apr. 1999). Both covers by Roger Robinson and James Pascoe. TM & © DC Comics.

THE AZ-VENTURES CONTINUE

Denny O’Neil would trade the editor’s chair to write a new Azrael ongoing series, with issue #1 (Feb. 1995) kicking things off and going on for an incredible 100-issue run. Azrael was originally under the editorship of Archie Goodwin, who died on March 1, 1998, and was followed on the title by editor Mike Carlin. During this years-long sojourn in his self-titled series, Azrael would continue to be based in Gotham City, so naturally he crossed paths with Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and many of the usual suspects, including the Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, Mister Freeze, Bane, Deathstroke, Ra’s al Ghul and Talia, et al. Additionally, more unorthodox foes would show up in the storylines, to include vampires and other monsters, and a new challenger in the form of Nicholas Scratch. A charismatic rock star and power broker, Scratch, a recurring presence and problem in the world of Azrael, first appeared in issue #47 (Dec. 1998) and made multiple appearances throughout the rest of the run. O’Neil recalls that he had not anticipated that Azrael would be given this new lease on life: “I was surprised when we were almost done with the continuity and the powers-that-be asked me to do Azrael as a monthly comic book. Well, it would have been very hard to refuse that. “Azrael started as an entry to a plot need, as these things often do. You know, we don’t sit around trying to think of brilliant characters. Generally, there’s a hole that needs filling somewhere. “So, with Azrael, the main impetus was, we need a character and the character has to have these qualities in order for the story to work. Once you have that, you could talk it out. I had a wife who didn’t write, but was a very good sounding board. We put it together, and I was not entirely happy with Azrael as a good guy starring in his own comic book because I thought it kind of sagged in the middle. We did 100 issues and I wasn’t happy with all of them. I think I lost my grasp of the character for a little while. “The story that’s attached to that is that originally, [DC editor] Mike Carlin and I decided that we knew the book was dying, and the evil corporation kept it alive so that I could write 100 issues because nobody had done that for years—done 100 straight issues of one character. They were losing money so that I could have that little feather in my cap.”

In a story where truth can be stranger than fiction, Denny explains how a near-death experience played a role in his writing Azrael: “But we didn’t kill him because I was about halfway through the last 30 issues, having lunch with an old friend, and then [something happened that] was like a splice of a film. I was lying on my back and Marifran was standing over me saying, ‘Do you know what happened?’ “Well, what had happened was, I met Mia Wolfe and her son for lunch… and I died. I was talking to her about my lack of belief in an afterlife, and according to Mia’s description, I just fell off my chair. She thought, ‘Denny’s being funny. He’s pretending to be dead. Ha, ha.’ She said after two minutes I was still not back on my chair, so she looked over and she said, ‘You were turning green.’ So, she began to make some noise. “It so happened that the guy who owned the restaurant had another job as a fireman in New Jersey, and he knew that the town had just bought a defibrillator and it was next door to where his restaurant was. So, he took one look at me and realized I was lying there dead on the restaurant floor and he ran next door, he got the defibrillator, and on the third try they got my heart started. “Mike Carlin called Marifran and he knew by then what had happened. The word had gotten out. He said, ‘Tell Denny he doesn’t have to kill Azrael. That’s maybe a little too close to home given what’s happened.’ So, I rewrote the end of the story and I think maybe made it weaker. But the next month, there was Azrael with his own title.”

THE ARTISTS’ PERSPECTIVES

When self-taught artist Barry Kitson began to work on the Azrael series with issue #1, he was given carte blanche to design his pages, and by his description, Joe Quesada’s design for the Azrael costume was “Perfect!” He did have a couple of things he was particularly proud to contribute, however, informing BACK ISSUE, “I was pushing for more about the Order of St. Dumas and slightly more mystical stuff, whereas Denny preferred the gangsters.” To that end, Kitson contributed Sister Lilhy, a nun from the Order of St. Dumas who rebelled and allied with Azrael to bring

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Cat Scratch Fever Azrael enemy Nicholas Scratch, as seen in Azrael: Agent of the Bat #48 (Jan. 1999). Art by Robinson and Pascoe. A Nicholas Scratch also exists in the Marvel and Archie universes. TM & © DC Comics.

the Order down. Kitson observes, “There were no female characters in Denny’s first script, and with Archie Goodwin’s blessing, I got Sister Lilhy added to it.” Kitson was the Azrael artist until issue #31 (July 1997), when Roger Robinson would assume those duties. Robinson describes his run on Azrael as one of the highlights of his career and shares some memories with BACK ISSUE, beginning with receiving the assignment: “I got a call out of the blue one day in, I think, September of ’96 from Archie Goodwin asking me if I’d like to work on the book. I jumped at it, and the rest is history on that assignment. It was great to be able to work with Denny O’Neil and also my inker, James Pascoe. He was a great partner to work with. We were on the save wavelength, creatively. He would

add so much. James is not the sort of guy that just follows your line. He adds a lot, sort of like the old-time embellishers. “I considered it very much a team effort on the book and would try to talk with everyone I could who was working on it with me. I’d talk with the letterer; the colorist, and James and I would talk almost every other day. That’s how close we were on the book. It’s amazing how we were working together for three years with only a couple of fill-ins. That’s not bad.” When queried about the artistic cues Roger took from his predecessors, Joe Quesada and Barry Kitson, he recalled, “I looked at what Joe did and I wanted to make it a little my own, but in looking at what Joe was doing, I didn’t want to change much. It was a really nice design, but one thing I did want to do was to give the cape its own personality. I tried to make it seem like it was almost roger robinson alive. So, you could see it would DC.fandom.com. have a particular flow to it at times. Whenever Azrael would move or jump, it would seem more alive. “I found that drawing the gauntlets could be a challenge. I tried to make it a little bit my own while still following what Joe Quesada did. When we did the costume change right around issue #50 or 51, I wanted to go in a totally different direction. I tried to change it up a little and was influenced by some animation, but I don’t know how well it was received, based on some feedback I got at a few conventions. But it was fun to draw.” Working with Denny O’Neil was another highlight of this assignment for Roger. “When I would get the scripts,” Robinson recalls, “I always felt it should be

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collaborative and even when Denny’s script would call for six panels, he was always good about leaving the pacing to me and if necessary, adding more panels or making a splash page if it was appropriate. I was able to take some liberties at times and Denny was always cool with it. He was happy with it. “I’d also heard Denny wasn’t much on sound effects, but since we had Ken Bruzenak lettering it, it was something I just had to take advantage of. He’s such a great letterer. So, I would be adding sound effects to it and sending in word balloon placements and they’d send it off to Ken to letter it.” Robinson also had fond memories of his work with editor Mike Carlin: “I don’t know if a lot of people know it, but he’s an artist, also, so he’d send me the roughs for some of the covers. He’d send me some of his sketches, and he really knows how to do the layouts. To me that was really impressive. Carlin knows about storytelling. So, he added much more than just being the editor.” When asked if he’d accomplished everything he’d hoped to with Azrael, Roger shares, “I think so. I went through some phases in my artistic style. In the first 12 issues or so, I was influenced by what Mike Mignola was doing with Hellboy and some of Howard Chaykin’s work, so all of that was inspiring some of the things I was doing with Azrael. Then, with the Nicholas Scratch storyline, I decided maybe I should start going in a different direction stylistically. It may have been subtle, but I felt

like it was going in a looser, grittier direction. I think even my inker was doing different things, too. More splattering with the inks and cross-hatching. There was a little experimentation going on as well. “Ultimately, as an artist, you’re trying to create a certain mood for the story. You’re always serving the story. I tried to avoid anything that didn’t serve that purpose. I’ve seen some work where they’ll try to do a fancy double-splash page that you have to turn a certain way and I just try to avoid gimmicks like that because it doesn’t serve the story. My goal is always clear storytelling above all. The pacing, the moves; that should all come into play.” As Robinson’s tenure drew to a close, he was able to continue in the realm of Batman, much to his delight: “After three years, I was starting to look for something else to work on, and luckily Denny offered me Batman: Gotham Knights. He considered it a promotion. Even when I was working on Azrael and Batman made an appearance, I made sure he [Batman] became the most important character on that page. So, I think that might have been my audition. When you look at some of those Azrael pages, I always tried to make Batman look like a bad-ass.” In summarizing his artistic journey to date, Roger acknowledges his good fortune: “It was something I pursued and just always wanted to do. I feel very fortunate to be working in comics and living the dream. Not a lot of people get that opportunity.”

Another Night in No Man’s Land (left) A beautiful Robinson/Pascoe original page from issue #59 (Dec. 1999), courtesy of Heritage. (inset) The logo changes with issue #69 (Oct. 2000), with its Tony Harris cover. (right) Inside, artist Sergio Cariello makes his bow— and check out Az’s new threads! TM & © DC Comics.

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The Evil Men Do… A dynamite fight scene by Cariello and Pascoe, from issue #87 (Dec. 2001). Courtesy of Heritage. TM & © DC Comics.

AGENTS OF THE BAT

taking a chance, we called [DC Comics’ office in] New York every 90 minutes or so and talked to one of our big office people back there and we said, ‘Look, you understand that people are going to think Batman died. We will put all the pieces back together, but we are going to lead the readers into thinking that this is the new Batman.’ And I kept getting [in response from DC], ‘Yeah, go ahead and do it.’” According to O’Neil, however, DC’s executives soon hesitated to initiate this sweeping change in the Bat-mythos, despite their original approval. “We were three months into it,” Denny remembers, “and I was crossing the lobby of where DC had its headquarters, and one of the executives stopped me and said, ‘You can’t do this thing with Batman.’ I said, ‘I kept telling you what we were going to do.’ ‘Well, you can’t do this. You’ve got to fix it.’” At the last minute, O’Neil was forced to use the device of creating English aristocrat Sir Hemingford Grey as an alias for Bruce Wayne and as a way to accelerate the return of Wayne. “So, we invented that [Grey] identity for Bruce Wayne,” O’Neil says. “I don’t know how good a job we did with him. For me, it was a writer’s challenge. Can I write a British accent? I don’t know if I brought it off or not. It helped that I had been to London recently. “We had to kind of switch horses in midstream, and I think it substantially weakened the story. But in the end, it all worked out, and I give full credit to my collaborators. We tended to do good stuff because we had the best freelancers available.” Azrael would not lie fallow for long and was reintroduced, in the form of a character named Michael Lane, in a new selftitled series in December of 2009. Still based in Gotham City and retaining some of the flavor of his predecessor, the new Azrael book’s tagline was, “An ex-cop in need of salvation. A centuries-old religious cult in search of a savior. A haunted armor. Swords that wield alchemical fire and ice. Michael Lane is… Azrael.” This series would enjoy an 18-issue run into 2011 before coming to a close, but his adventures would continue in the Batman title.

With issue #47 (Dec. 1998), the title was changed to Azrael: Agent of the Bat. Issue #69 (Oct. 2000) would unveil a new regular interior artist, Sergio Cariello. Kubert School alumni Cariello enjoyed his work on the later Azrael series: “Azrael was a fun character to draw under Denny O’Neil’s directions and scripts. I had the honor to come up with a new costume, and the assignment provided me with more opportunities to draw Batman.” Taking a more human angle on the new avenging angel, Cariello reveals, “the costume changes allowed us to show more facial expressions.” The series would continue onward until that final 100th issue (May 2003), when, in an ironic twist, Nicholas Scratch would attempt to be the new Azrael. Jean-Paul Valley dons his costume for the last time to confront the imposter and is seemingly killed, but his body is never recovered. As is befitting the supernatural aspects of his life, Jean-Paul, in apparition form, appears to Batman to tell the Dark Knight that what happened is not his fault. This vision, however, is dismissed by Batman as an illusion brought on by exhaustion, so readers are left to draw their own conclusions. Denny O’Neil shares some final thoughts about Azrael with BACK ISSUE: “I occasionally have regrets about things I didn’t do with Azrael. I regret not making him a black-hearted villain, because then the conversion would have had more power. And I don’t take much credit for this stuff because Azrael started as a 30-page Batman backup by one of our British writers and I looked at that and thought, ‘No, this is worth a lot more space than they want to give it. This is worth a major series.’ So, I had a decent budget back then and I could get seven or sergio cariello eight creative people together for a weekend or While the man behind so. With Jordan [Gorfinkel] using my laptop to take the armor has changed and notes, we would work out the beats of this story. Azrael was pretty his services as a substitute Batman are at an much my baby. The character wouldn’t have worked without the end, Azrael, the avenging angel, continues to context we put him in. For that I certainly am grateful to my be a force to be reckoned with in Gotham City. freelancers and paid assistants. Surely, we have not seen the last of him. “Azrael was from a different continuity, but there’s a little bit of ugliness in this. Our original plan was to take Bruce Wayne and Batman BRYAN STROUD is a longtime fan of DC Comics, off the board for a year. We had two Robins. The audience could not particularly the Silver and Bronze Ages, and since be sure we wouldn’t make this permanent. We had a track record for 2007 has been interviewing the creators of the doing that. We knew we were taking a chance, and knowing we were comics he’s loved since childhood. 74 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

Send your comments to: Email: euryman@gmail.com (subject: BACK ISSUE) Postal mail: Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief • BACK ISSUE 112 Fairmount Way * New Bern, NC 28562

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DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

John Carpenter, the man behind the original Halloween, Escape from New York, and other screen classics, was cited on page 74 in BACK ISSUE #113’s Arkham Asylum analysis by Michal Chudolinski. That should have read “Greg Carpenter,” author of the book The British Invasion: Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, and the Invention of the Modern Comic Book Writer. It was a simple typo that originated in the manuscript and slipped past ye ed and our proofreader. Our digital editions have been corrected, but BACK ISSUE apologizes to any reader confused by the error, and to both Greg and John Carpenter.

MCP IS FOR ME!

I just finished reading ish #110 and wanted to write again. This has been my favorite issue so far. I loved the article on Carmine Infantino and his Marvel work. I was one of the kids that bought his Star Wars and his work on that series will be forever imprinted in my childhood memories. I wish I could have met him before he passed. The article on Marvel’s British Fandom made me laugh out loud. Those were some great letters. Of course, the article on Englehart’s “lost” WCA stories was fantastic. Maybe he will get a chance to tell the story the way he wanted to someday. Is there a way to contact Al Milgrom? I would to get a cover recreation of the original cover for WCA #38, if he does commissions. The Pizzazz article was very informative and I hope those Young Tarzan stories get reprinted somewhere. Did John Buscema draw those stories? I loved the article on Marvel Comics Presents. I have been slowly collecting the full series and would love to see the rest of the series covered past #100. Finally, I loved the cover of BI #110. Really, the best cover you have had so far, and I even loved the back cover. I know it was an ad for WB Archives, but WOW! That picture of Zsa Zsa Gabor made me order the movie [Queen of Outer Space]. And one more thing: I emailed Marvel asking them to include some of the characters from the original Star Wars series in the new series. Maybe we can get some kind of petition started? – Bernard Duggan

YOU HAVE IMPECCABLE TASTES, DAHLINK!

You can inquire about Al Milgrom commissions through his art rep’s site, www.theartistschoice.com. Yes, John Buscema penciled all of Pizzazz’s Young Tarzan installments, inked on most by Ernie Chan. David Anthony Kraft followed Roy Thomas as the feature’s writer. An example of the strip appears above. And BI readers, if you agree with Bernard about the return of those old Star Wars comic characters, contact Marvel to let them know.

BRITISH COMICS COVERAGE

The latest issue (#110) of BACK ISSUE arrived today and, as usual, I settled down immediately to have an initial look through the contents. You will recall from our previous correspondence that I’m English and started reading superhero comments as a direct result of the arrival of Spider-Man Comics Weekly in late 1973, so it may not surprise you that my attention was drawn to the article by Robert Menzies about British letters pages. I must admit that I chuckled my way through the piece. Robert was, of course, referring to the exact period that I was reading those self-same comics, and his writing brought back lots of happy memories. I can certainly vouch for the fact that the examples quoted by Robert were VERY representative of the letters published in the British editions. Even though I was only a young lad myself, I knew how moronic a lot of the questions from readers were, not to mention some of the replies. I definitely recall seeing the competition answer that Robert refers to and being somewhat surprised that Peter Parker was an artist, not a science student! By the way, the editor (Neil Tennant) named by Robert went on to have a hugely successful pop music career (in the UK, at least) as the singer with the Pet Shop Boys. Are you familiar with them in America? Another thing that I remember about the letters pages of that time was that the editors would insert panels (seemingly at random) from stories that had appeared in US comics but would not be seen in Great Britain for many months, or even years. This did pique my curiosity, but I’m not sure what the rationale was. Maybe the intention was to whet our appetites for what was coming (even if it didn’t always actually arrive). I do wonder, by the way, what readers Stateside must make of the old British editions, following the spotlight you have shone on Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 75

Michal, we did just that, way back in BACK ISSUE #12, which was themed “Extreme Makeovers.” But it might be a theme we could revisit, with different subjects this time.

them recently. Do Americans think that such comics are from the Dark Ages, bearing in mind the black-and-white pages and the splitting up of single (US) issue stories into several parts? I’d be interested to hear views on this from across the pond. Anyway, I must go and read the rest of BI now, as I’m sure that it’s equally as fascinating as Robert’s article. I’ll try to leave you in peace for a while. – Dave Barker, Wakefield, England

MUST VISIT EARTH X

Alternate Realities have created a sense of wonder (and horror) in me ever since I first started collecting comics. I remember quite vividly my sense of disbelief as I saw Wolverine blasted into ash by a Sentinel (“Days of Future Past”), with only his metal bones left behind… a sense of sickening dread as I saw Professor X merged with Caliban and Spider-Man crucified by Kulan Gath (Uncanny X-Men #190–191). I still enjoy a good alternative-reality story, and so I wanted to drop a note to let you know how much I enjoyed BI #111. Every issue of BI has something that interests me, but this one was just stuffffed (not a typo) with goodies. Although I always enjoy a trip down memory lane (you know, when BI visits stuff that is already in my collection), in this case I was excited about the number of fascinating stories that had, apparently, completely slipped by me. Every article had some new gem I wanted to track down, to the point that I started taking notes about halfway through the Elseworlds article so I would remember what to look for. It’s been a while since I felt so enthusiastic about adding to my collection (my last trip to the comic store revealed that I’m only subscribing to about four current series… it made me sad). You know what was in the issue, but please let me thank the writers and point out a couple of the highlights (for me, at least!). What If? Thank you for the beautiful art on page 8 (from What If? #13) and offer my congratulations to Roy Thomas for stealing Danette away from Conan. Also, Frank Miller did another Daredevil story in #35? Mister Fantastic (on page 18) has never looked so chilling. Superman Red/Blue. Although I never saw the original story, I loved the Tom Strong series and was fascinated by the link to the Superman tale. Future Imperfect. I had vaguely heard of this story, but nothing else. I did not know it was done by David and Pérez, and the splash pages on 38 and 39 were astonishing. I need to get bigger versions to pore over them properly. I could not find Waldo, or the snuff box with the Wasp’s ashes… How do I not already have this?! Elseworlds. I have a lot of Elseworlds stuff already… a LOT. I had no idea how much there actually was, though, or how many I had somehow missed… This was where I started making lists— Detective 27, Dark Allegiances (what a great Chaykin splash page!), Bob Layton’s Elseworlds, Superman: Kal… what a great article. Of course, Kingdom Come and the Golden Age have been favorites of mine for years (though they were barely mentioned in the article), I’m glad Catto focused on the earlier stuff—stuff I had never seen. 2099. I never had the slightest interest in the 2099 series… until I read that Peter David wrote Spider-Man 2099 and Warren Ellis did his first Marvel stuff in Doom 2099. Huh. Now I feel like I have to give it a try… Earth X. When this series came out, I was disappointed that Ross was only doing the covers and passed on it (I was hoping for another Kingdom Come). Now I realize that was a mistake—time to go out find a collected edition. And what a beautiful cover for #111! And, and, I am bemused by how many of these alternate or imaginary stories eventually become canon. What a satisfying issue! Thank so much for effort that went into preparing this, and I look forward to many more like it! – John Shaw

Dave, we’re definitely aware of the Neil Tennant/Pet Shop Boys connection. And I, for one, am also enjoying Robert Menzies’ journeys through Marvel UK history. His “UnKnown Marvel” feature is a window into a world that most of us here in the USA know little or nothing about.

PREFERS THEMES OVER SINGLE-CHARACTER ISSUES

This issue (#110) is a return to form for me. Personally, I don’t like the character-specific issues, but enjoy these theme issues that discuss different parts of a theme instead of looking for stuff to write about, say, Aquaman. I know it’s probably good for sales when a big media event is around, but this “Make Mine Marvel” issue was great and I read every article. I am looking forward to the next batch of issues you put up the covers for (though I loved the 1989 Batman movie I’m not looking forward to reading about it for an entire issue). The Alternate Realities, Sci-Fi Superheroes with the Dreadstar cover, Black Superheroes, and Nuclear Superheroes are all why I will re-up my subscription. Just my two cents’. – Casey Lau Thanks for the feedback, Casey. Multi-topic theme issues will remain the norm, but as you note occasionally special event tie-ins will inspire a single-character spotlight issue. However, you’ll note that therein you’ll always find complementary material to the subject—as with BI #113’s Batman comics, Huntress, and Catwoman articles joining the coverage of the Batman movie and its adaptation. Another great issue of BI [#111]! The coverage of What If? was great fun. While I was always a fan of DC’s Imaginary Stories, I always liked What If?’s rule of veering from an alreadyestablished point in the Marvel Universe, and the ensuing butterfly effect that one change would cause. Sure, it would have been easy to write “What if Spider-Man Had Instead Been Bitten By a Radioactive Warthog?” or whatever, but the idea of taking one moment in the Marvel timeline and tweaking it gave the stories a better sense of reality. I really enjoyed the Hulk: Future Imperfect interview. Peter David and George Pérez collaborated to make one darn-near-perfect story, and I loved reading their recollections about it. I have saved the trophy room list from Comics Buyer’s Guide all these years, still bagged with my H: FI books! The Elseworlds retrospective, and why it lost steam, was interesting. A checklist of Elseworlds stories would have been a nice addition; I had never heard of some of the books mentioned in this article. A final thought: Have you considered a “Game Changers” issue, highlighting drastic turns in long-established characters’ status quos? I’m thinking of events like the death of Gwen Stacy, the attempt to “humanize” Superman (and the eradication of kryptonite), the formation of the new X-Men, and the like; the storylines that brought new perspectives to characters who had basically stayed the same for years. Just thinking out loud here… – Michal Jacot

ALTERNATIVE REALITIES A HIT

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Great letter, John! All of our writers delivered top-notch articles that issue, and Rich Fowlks’ layouts were excellent, as always. Ed Catto did a fabulous job with his incisive Elseworlds overview, but truth be told, we could’ve devoted an entire issue to that imprint. I suspect we’ll eventually do individual spotlights on some of the Elseworlds projects, like Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come. And to prove our love for Kingdom Come, we’re sharing, courtesy of Heritage, Alex Ross’ original art (opposite page) to page 10 of issue #4 of that Elseworlds epic—which also serves as BI’s final salute to Batman as his 80th anniversary year comes to a close. Speaking of Mr. Ross, if you liked his Earth X cover for issue #111, wait’ll you get a load of his retro Fantastic Four cover on our next issue’s cover (teased at the end of this lettercol)!

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Despite being a big fan of Marvel 2099 and following it closely, I learned so much from the 2099 article [in BACK ISSUE #111]. There’s so much information of each issue. I feel that your magazine doesn’t repeat itself. Some magazines do revisit the same theme again and again, which can be frustrating for those of us who’ve followed a magazine from the beginning. I don’t feel that BACK ISSUE has ever repeated itself… it’s always so fresh! – Stephan Parry Thank you, Stephan! The thematic structure of the magazine helps keep each issue unique, and upon occasion when we DO revisit a previously covered topic, we strive to view it from a different perspective.

A NEW TWOMORROWS READER

I would first like to say how much I love your company and what you’re publishing! I’ve placed two recent orders and plan on future orders! I cannot emphasize enough what a happy accident it was to discover your publications. Most of all, BACK ISSUE magazine. Looking through the issues I’ve received already got me thinking… what would your thoughts be on featuring articles on the following: 1) An all-Marvel miniseries issue: Hawkeye, Jack of Hearts, Cloak and Dagger… the list goes on. 2) An issue featuring The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe. 3) A “licensed property issue”: ROM, Crystar, Micronauts, Alf, etc. 4) An issue featuring miscellaneous series: Team America, U.S. 1, etc. 5) An “all advertisements” issue, featuring all those great ads of yesteryear: Hostess, the Army battle sets, J. D. Smith Novelty Company. 6) A letters page issue, featuring the letters columns that were better put together than others. If these ideas have already been published, I would happily hunt them down if you could let me know. – Dominic Cabot Just about everything you’ve asked for has appeared in past issues, although a few haven’t… but one day will be. I love those Hostess ads! A handful have appeared, dotting articles about the ads’ stars, and I’m sure you’ll see more in the future. Re letters pages: While I couldn’t devote an entire issue to this as it wouldn’t be commercial enough to sustain a larger readership, it’s a theme that’s been requested by other readers. One of our writers, Brian Martin—who, incidentally, started as a regular letter writer to BACK ISSUE—is researching a series of articles tracking the whereabouts of many of those letterhacks whose missives dotted the comics we grew up with. It’s a laborious project and I’m letting Brian take his time on it, but eventually you’ll see it. I’ve been considering a Marvel ’80s Miniseries issue, BTW! Some of them have been explored previously, but others haven’t. I’d probably put a Miller Wolverine cover on the issue. The best thing for you to do to find your requested subjects is to scroll through BACK ISSUE’s back issues, which you can do at our website, www.twomorrows.com. BACK ISSUE has been in print since late 2003 and we’ve covered a lot of material—but there’s lots more to explore, as you’ll see in the months and years to come. Thanks for writing. Welcome to the TwoMorrows family!

WHY NOT KINGDOM COME?

Congratulations on another superb issue. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the Future Imperfect article as well as the Elseworlds and DC Bronze Age Imaginary Stories. I never really got into the Earth X series and 2099 series, although I did purchase some of the issues at the time. 78 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

I was wondering why Kingdom Come and its follow-ups were not included. Surely it’s deserving of an article of its own. I was also wondering if BI did any features on the pulp-style comics of the ’80s. Gerard Jones’ The Shadow Strikes! or even Chaykin’s Shadow, which I personally didn’t care for, nor for it’s follow-up. Denny O’Neil’s was far superior, in my opinion. How about the DC Doc Savage and Phantom series or Now’s Green Hornet? (Still waiting for a Lone Ranger and Zorro feature; plenty of those in the ’70s and Topps in the ’80s and their respective newspaper strips, sadly never reprinted.) Any chance of a feature on Blackhawk of the ’80s post-Action Comics Weekly? Or a feature on limited series of the ’80s? Wolverine, Hercules, A-Team, Aquaman, Red Tornado, Camelot 3000, Sun Devils, etc., a whole slew of them. Although there was an issue devoted to “DC in the ’80s” [BI #98], I feel it missed the heart of it not featuring DC’s inarguably greatest years ever. No feature on Dark Knight, Batman: Year One and Two, Byrne’s Superman, Pérez’s Wonder Woman, Roger Stern’s Atom, Allan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Giffen’s Justice League… the creativity was endless. Very much looking forward to the upcoming Batman movie issue, although in my opinion, Nolan’s Batman was far superior to the Burton ones; the same cannot be said regarding the later Superman movies in comparison to the first two. But the Jerry Ordway art on the Batman adaptation was superb, probably one of the best adaptations since the Star Wars’ Empire and Jedi issues. Count me in for a feature on the Moench/Gulacy Batman series, both the Hugo Strange as well as his Pale Rider issues of Batman, and Outlaw series. Movies on paper. I really wish DC would put out a Tales of the Dark Knight hardcover collecting all of the Moench/ Gulacy issues on good paper. – Yaakov Gerber Thanks for the great comments, Yaakov! Almost every one of your requested subjects has already appeared in BACK ISSUE. It might be time to join Dominic Cabot in scrolling through our back-issue list to fill in a few gaps in your collection. And regarding the “DC in the ’80s” issue and the exclusion of certain comic books that match an issue’s theme: in addition to my comment in this issue’s editorial, with 80 pages per issue (fewer, when you count ads), there’s only so much material we can jam between two covers! Also, several of those major DC series of the 1980s are so significant, they warrant issues all to themselves, such as the Superman revamp of 1986 (between The Man of Steel, Superman, Adventures of Superman, and Action Comics, we can pack 80 pages real fast). I consider it to be BACK ISSUE’s unspoken mandate to explore every comic book series published in the 1970s and 1980s… so even though we’ve covered a lot, there’s still much more awaiting. Plus some of the gems of the 1990s and early 2000s, as well. So long was we have dedicated readers like you, Yaakov, who support the magazine, we’ll hopefully live up to that mandate.

REVISITING FIRESTORM

Reading this issue [BI #112] has inspired me to read the early issues of Firestorm. So much fun! – Andrew Kaplan Thanks to this issue, I have been rereading the early runs of Firestorm the Nuclear Man and The Fury of Firestorm. Wow… Gerry Conway was in full production on the creation of new characters for these books. Enjoying this trip down memory lane. – Martin Maenza

REPETITION-FREE ZONE

Andrew and Martin, you’re right— both the ’70s and ’80s incarnations of Firestorm were a delight to read, and Gerry Conway helped invigorate DC’s line each time.

Steve Englehart’s Avengers run, especially issues #129–149, are comics I consider all-time gems, so I was pleased to read the history of the Radioactive Man. Is it just me, or during the last 20 or 30 years have there been a number of longtime villains who have reformed? Some of them only for a limited time, but still. Makes me wonder if this is because fans and creators believe in the inherent goodness of people, or if characters just become more popular and there are many more prospects for exposure for the valiant. I remember seeing the ads for Holo-Man, but that’s about it. Thankfully, Steven Thompson did a great job writing an absorbing article that was fun to read. Watchmen has been explored in such depth in so many places that I believe it was an excellent idea to include Dr. Manhattan the way you did. The dialogue between Hal Halbert and Tom Powers was extremely interesting and not just a reiteration of points that have been covered many times before. Bravo to all involved. One final point and then I will move on. As a kid I used to draw my own comic-book covers and then act out the stories they would have contained with my action figures. I didn’t go quite that far with the All-Star Squadron covers [as in BI #112’s All-Star Squadron Fantasy Cover Gallery], but they were amazing and sure did take me back. Like it seems a lot of other readers, I still miss that series. – Brian Martin

DESPERATELY SEEKING SOLAR

I noticed the comment in issue #112 about future coverage of the Valiant Dr. Solar comic. I eagerly look forward to this as the Valiant Solar and Magnus may have been the last comics series I bought that I truly couldn’t wait the long month between issues. If you do get around to covering Valiant, might I suggest you cover both Solar and Magnus in the same ish? You can hold off on the rest of Valiant’s line for another time as, personally, I could never warm up to them. But you might include the later Dark Horse versions of Solar and Magnus as well. Of course, Jim Shooter wrote both series and did an excellent job on them, even while taking two different approaches to the two different incarnations. – Pierre Comtois Pierre, both characters, as promised, will find their way into our pages, although at this point their appearances are not yet scheduled.

CORONA A BIG FLAME-OUT

Since I believe the first letter I ever wrote to BI asked for a “Greatest Stories Never Told” on the [Firestorm:] Corona graphic novel, you can understand how much I was looking forward to this issue. To find out that the project was cancelled basically due to changes in corporate culture and perceived financial viability was certainly a letdown. Add to that the fact that there do not appear to be any pages floating around just adds to the disappointment. Not that I was disappointed in the article, just that after all this time there was really nothing to discover. Just goes to show that if you go looking, sometimes you find King Tutankhamen’s tomb, sometimes you find Al Capone’s vault. In addition to Corona, Firestorm is my all-time favorite superhero, so this issue was extra special for me. Timing-wise, Ron Raymond’s high school life mirrored mine, right down to graduation. I loved hearing from so many of the creators and especially learning the inspiration behind Flame-Head’s coiffure and headgear. Pat Broderick’s comments were probably the most interesting to me, as he really provided a lot of backstory with regard to the creation of the actual characters and comics. As I may have mentioned before, those are the sorts of things that I find the most involving when it comes to a BI article. Fantastic Four © Marvel. BACK ISSUE TM & © TwoMorrows Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Brian, if any of those few partially inked Corona pages ever turn up, we’ll publish them for you and other Firestorm fans.

Next issue: Greatest Stories Never Told! ALEX ROSS’ unrealized Fantastic Four reboot, DC: The Lost 1970s (including JOE SIMON’s Guardian Angel and GERRY CONWAY and JOHN CALNAN’s Ninja the Invisible), FRANK THORNE’s Red Sonja preliminaries, MIKE GRELL’s Batman/ Jon Sable, CHRIS CLAREMONT and DAVE SIM’s X-Men/Cerebus, LARRY HAMA’s Fury Force, CURT SWAN’s lost pages for ED HANNIGAN’s Skull & Bones, STEVE ENGLEHART and TREVOR VON EEDEN’s Batman/Mad Hatter, BRIAN AUGUSTYN and MIKE PAROBECK’s Target, PAUL KUPPERBERG’s insider’s look at the ill-fated Impact reboot (with unpublished art by DAVE COCKRUM, MICHAEL NETZER, and more), and a guest editorial by Englehart revealing his connection to the Batman movie! Featuring an Alex Ross FF black-light cover. Don’t ask—just BI it! See you in sixty! Your friendly neighborhood Euryman, Michael Eury, editor-in-chief

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 79

A 25 Year Celebration! th

THE WORLD OF TWOMORROWS

In 1994, amidst the boom-&-bust of comic book speculators, THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #1 was published for true fans of the medium. That modest labor of love spawned TwoMorrows Publishing, today’s premier purveyor of publications about comics and pop culture. Celebrate our 25th anniversary with this special retrospective look at the company that changed fandom forever! Co-edited by and featuring publisher JOHN MORROW and COMIC BOOK ARTIST/COMIC BOOK CREATOR magazine’s JON B. COOKE, it gives the inside story and behind-the-scenes details of a quartercentury of looking at the past in a whole new way. Also included are BACK ISSUE magazine’s MICHAEL EURY, ALTER EGO’s ROY THOMAS, GEORGE KHOURY (author of KIMOTA!, EXTRAORDINARY WORKS OF ALAN MOORE, and other books), MIKE MANLEY (DRAW! magazine), ERIC NOLEN-WEATHINGTON (MODERN MASTERS), and a host of other comics luminaries who’ve contributed to TwoMorrows’ output over the years. From their first Eisner Award-winning book STREETWISE, through their BRICKJOURNAL LEGO® magazine, up to today’s RETROFAN magazine, every major TwoMorrows publication and contributor is covered with the same detail and affection the company gives to its books and magazines. With an Introduction by MARK EVANIER, Foreword by ALEX ROSS, Afterword by PAUL LEVITZ, and a new cover by TOM McWEENEY! SHIPS DECEMBER 2019! (224-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperback) $34.95 • (Digital Edition) $15.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-092-2 (240-page ULTRA-LIMITED HARDCOVER) $75 Only 125 copies available for sale, with a 16-page bonus Memory Album! HARDCOVER NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH DIAMOND—DIRECT FROM TWOMORROWS ONLY! RESERVE YOURS NOW!

JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #78

(SILVER ANNIVERSARY ISSUE!)

(100-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (DELUXE EDITION with silver sleeve) $12.95 • (Digital Edition) $5.95

2019-2020

AND DON’T MISS THE EXPANDED 2ND EDITION OF STUF’ SAID, OUT NOW! SUBSCRIPTION RATES Alter Ego (Six issues) Back Issue (Eight issues) BrickJournal (Six issues) Comic Book Creator (Four issues) Jack Kirby Collector (Four issues) RetroFan (Six issues)

ECONOMY US $67 $89 $67 $45 $48 $67

EXPEDITED US $79 $102 $79 $55 $58 $79

PREMIUM US $86 $111 $86 $59 $62 $86

INTERNATIONAL $101 $135 $101 $67 $70 $101

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Published 25 years after the launch of THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #1, this special SILVER ANNIVERSARY ISSUE shows how Kirby kickstarted the Silver Age of Comics with Challengers of the Unknown, examines how Jack revamped Golden Age legacy characters for the 1960s and beyond, outlines the lasting influence of his signature creation The Silver Surfer, and more! It includes special shout-outs to the fan and pro contributors who’ve helped publisher/editor JOHN MORROW celebrate the life and career of the King of Comics for a quarter century. And echoing John’s fateful choice to start this magazine in 1994, we’ll spotlight PIVOTAL DECISIONS (good and bad) Jack made throughout his comics career. Plus: A Kirby pencil art gallery, regular columnists, a classic 1950s story, and more! The STANDARD EDITION sports an unused Kirby THOR cover with STEVE RUDE’s interpretation of how it looked before alterations, while the DELUXE EDITION adds a silver cardstock outer sleeve featuring the Surfer with RUDE inks. SHIPS WINTER 2020!

DIGITAL ONLY $27 $36 $27 $18 $18 $27

ER EISN RD AWA ER!! N WIN ER EISN RD AWAINEE! M NO

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BACK ISSUE #118

BACK ISSUE #119

GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD! ALEX ROSS’ unrealized Fantastic Four reboot, DC: The Lost 1970s, FRANK THORNE’s unpublished Red Sonja, Fury Force, VON EEDEN’s Batman, GRELL’s Batman/Jon Sable, CLAREMONT and SIM’s X-Men/Cerebus, SWAN and HANNIGAN’s Skull and Bones, AUGUSTYN and PAROBECK’s Target, PAUL KUPPERBERG’s Impact reboot, abandoned Swamp Thing storylines, & more! ROSS cover.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ISSUE! A galaxy of comics stars discuss Marvel’s whitehot space team in the Guardians Interviews, including TOM DeFALCO, KEITH GIFFEN, ROB LIEFELD, AL MILGROM, MARY SKRENES, ROGER STERN, JIM VALENTINO, and more. Plus: Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon before the Guardians, with CHRIS CLAREMONT and MIKE MIGNOLA. Cover by JIM VALENTINO with inks by CHRIS IVY.

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Ships Jan. 2020

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Ships March 2020

ALTER EGO #162

ALTER EGO #163

MIKE GRELL

LIFE IS DRAWING WITHOUT AN ERASER

Career-spanning tribute covering Legion of Super-Heroes, Warlord, & Green Arrow at DC Comics, and Grell’s own properties Jon Sable, Starslayer, and Shaman’s Tears. Told in Grell’s own words, with PAUL LEVITZ, DAN JURGENS, DENNY O’NEIL, MARK RYAN, & MIKE GOLD. Heavily illustrated! (160-page FULL-COLOR TPB) $27.95 (176-page LTD. ED. HARDCOVER) $37.95 (Digital Edition) $12.95 • Now shipping!

DRAW #36

COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION

MIKE HAWTHORNE (Deadpool, Infinity Countdown) interview, YANICK PAQUETTE (Wonder Woman: Earth One, Batman Inc., Swamp Thing) how-to demo, JERRY ORDWAY’s “Ord-Way” of creating comics, JAMAR NICHOLAS reviews the latest art supplies, plus Comic Art Bootcamp by BRET BLEVINS and MIKE MANLEY! May contain nudity for figure-drawing instruction; for Mature Readers Only.

AN ORAL HISTORY OF DC COMICS CIRCA 1978! Marking the 40th anniversary of the “DC Implosion”, one of the most notorious events in comics (which left stacks of completed comic book stories unpublished and spawned Cancelled Comics Cavalcade). Featuring JENETTE KAHN, PAUL LEVITZ, LEN WEIN, MIKE GOLD, and others, plus detailed analysis of how it changed the landscape of comics!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Now shipping!

(136-page paperback w/ COLOR) $21.95 (Digital Edition) $10.95 • Now shipping!

KIRBY & LEE: STUF’ SAID WORLD OF TWOMORROWS AMERICAN COMIC BOOK Celebrate our 25th anniversary with this CHRONICLES: The 1980s retrospective by publisher JOHN MORROW

WILL MURRAY presents an amazing array of possible prototypes of Batman (by artist FRANK FOSTER—in 1932!)—Wonder Woman (by Star-Spangled Kid artist HAL SHERMAN)—Tarantula (by Air Wave artist LEE HARRIS), and others! Plus a rare Hal Sherman interview—MICHAEL T. GILBERT with more on artist PETE MORISI—FCA— BILL SCHELLY—JOHN BROOME—and more! Cover homage by SHANE FOLEY!

The early days of DAVE COCKRUM— Legion of Super-Heroes artist and co-developer of the revived mid-1970s X-Men—as revealed in art-filled letters to PAUL ALLEN and rare, previously unseen illustrations provided by wife PATY COCKRUM (including 1960s-70s drawings of Edgar Rice Burroughs heroes)! Plus FCA—MICHAEL T. GILBERT on PETE MORISI—JOHN BROOME—BILL SCHELLY, and more!

EXPANDED SECOND EDITION—16 EXTRA PAGES! Looks back at the creators of the Marvel Universe’s own words, in chronological order, from fanzine, magazine, radio, and television interviews, to paint a picture of JACK KIRBY and STAN LEE’s complicated relationship! Includes recollections from STEVE DITKO, ROY THOMAS, WALLACE WOOD, JOHN ROMITA SR., and other Marvel Bullpenners!

and Comic Book Creator magazine’s JON B. COOKE! Go behind-the-scenes with MICHAEL EURY, ROY THOMAS, GEORGE KHOURY, and a host of other TwoMorrows contributors! Introduction by MARK EVANIER, Foreword by ALEX ROSS, Afterword by PAUL LEVITZ, and a new cover by TOM McWEENEY!

(100-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $5.95 • Now shipping!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Ships Feb. 2020

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $26.95 (Digital Edition) $12.95 • Now shipping!

(224-page FULL-COLOR TPB) $37.95 (Digital Edition) $15.95 • Ships Dec. 2019

NEW PRINTING with corrections, better binding, & enhanced cover durability! KEITH DALLAS documents comics’ 1980s Reagan years: Rise and fall of JIM SHOOTER, FRANK MILLER as comic book superstar, DC’s CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, MOORE and GAIMAN’s British invasion, ECLIPSE, PACIFIC, FIRST, COMICO, DARK HORSE and more!

(288-pg. FULL-COLOR Hardcover) $48.95 (Digital Edition) $15.95 • Ships Feb. 2020

TwoMorrows. The Future of Comics History.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR #21 COMIC BOOK CREATOR #22

KIRBY COLLECTOR #77

ERIC POWELL celebrates 20 years of THE GOON! with a career-spanning interview and a gallery of rare artwork. Plus CBC editor and author JON B. COOKE on his new retrospective THE BOOK OF WEIRDO, a new interview with R. CRUMB about his work on that legendary humor comics anthology, JOHN ROMITA SR. on his admiration for the work of MILTON CANIFF, and more!

P. CRAIG RUSSELL career-spanning interview (complete with photos and art gallery), an almost completely unknown work by FRANK QUITELY (artist on All-Star Superman and The Authority), DERF BACKDERF’s forthcoming graphic novel commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kent State shootings, CAROL TYLER shares her prolific career, JOE SINNOTT discusses his Treasure Chest work, CRAIG YOE, and more!

MONSTERS & BUGS! Jack’s monster-movie influences in The Demon, Forever People, Black Magic, Fantastic Four, Jimmy Olsen, and Atlas monster stories; Kirby’s work with “B” horror film producer CHARLES BAND; interview with “The Goon” creator ERIC POWELL; Kirby’s use of insect characters (especially as villains); MARK EVANIER and our other regular columnists, Golden Age Kirby story, and a Kirby pencil art gallery!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Now shipping!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $9.95 (Digital Edition) $4.95 • Ships Spring 2020

(100-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $5.95 • Now shipping!

KIRBY COLLECTOR #78

SILVER ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! How Kirby kickstarted the Silver Age and revamped Golden Age characters for the 1960s, the Silver Surfer’s influence, pivotal decisions (good and bad) Jack made throughout his comics career, Kirby pencil art gallery, MARK EVANIER and our regular columnists, a classic 1950s story, KIRBY/STEVE RUDE cover (and deluxe silver sleeve) and more! (84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (DELUXE EDITION w/ silver sleeve) $12.95 (Digital Edition) $5.95 • Ships Winter 2020

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