Charlton vs Mighty MLJ

Site Table of Contents: Charlton vs MLJ Style!

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Steeler Sundays

Sideline Sundays

Steelers' Sultry Sidekicks
Faithful Fake Fauna
Infatuated with Insects
Maidens of Military Mystery Men
Bewildering Bug Boys
The Gals Behind Type A Dudes
Sidekicks Assemble
Far-Out Alien Potentates
Brave Blue Boys Battle
E-nimals Week - The Other Action Heroes
Six Million Dollar Man Tech!
Captain Marvel Wannabees
Two Swell Duos of the 1800's
Non-Legionaire Kids and Lads
Noble Novices and Numbering
Charlton vs... Fawcett?

Team-Up Tuesdays

3 Items of Power
Ageless Androids
More on our Obscure Teams!
Steeler Sundays Crossover!
High Camp Heroes
Darlings of Darkness
Phenomenal Phantoms
Bad Boys and Blonde Babes
Dark Hooded Ones
Multiplying Mood Masters
Giant Robots ATTACK!!!
Bothersome Bureaucrats
Silver-Age Showdowns
Showdowns in the Stars
Crusaders Cornered
The End of an Era
The Fox and The Feline Part 2
E-nimal Week - Gal Pals
Five for Fightin'
Celluloid Heroes
Three is Company x 2
Ancient Adversaries Attacked!
Unpublished Crisis Issue
Marvel Mondays Madness
Shield and Dusty vs the Fang! Part One
Shield and Dusty vs the Fang! Part Two
Watchmen's !mpact #1
Watchmen's !mpact #2
Watchmen's !mpact #3
Watchmen's !mpact #4

Friday Fiends

Stark, Meet the Irons, Arm & Fist
Superhero Assassins for Hire
A Couple of Real Boneheads
The Tumbler vs the Acrobat
Malignantly Magnetic Marauders
Monster Mash-Ups
Knightly Knaves
Greedy Gliding Goons
Atomic Adversaries
Masters of Moods Materialize
Bestial Bad Boys
Fire Fiend and Fiery Friend
Bad Dudes...Bad Breath!
Is It Hair-Club-For-Men or Evil-Heir-Club-For-Mad-Men
Cancelite - Thy Name Is Sales
Shockingly Sinister Show-Offs
Wicked Weapon Wielders
Covert Carrot-Tops
High-Tech Napoleons
Face Fearless Fit Fighters
Mechanical Monster Madmen
Arch-Enemies for Men of Steel
Anonymous Archie Adversaries
Watchmen's !mpact Foes
Watchmen's !mpact Beasts

Battling Blondes

Dueling Ditko

Hero Profiles

Licensed Legends:

Marvel Mondays

Yellowjacket Webnesdays

Miscellaneous Postings:

Letter Columns
Hump-Day Humour

Steeler Sundays: Return of Inferno Part 3

2011-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Postscript: Sarge Steel here. Wasn't that an excellent tale wherein my fellow Steel, Mr. Sterling, used a clever method to get the intelligence he needs to ferret out that rat... er snake. He wasn't just all brawn. Still not to sure about that Inferno, but I've been told some good things about him... we'll see...

Steeler Sundays: Return of Inferno Part 2

2011-09-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Picking up where we left off last Steeler Sundays, we find Steel Sterling facing off once more against his old foe Inferno in the pages of Zip Comics #11. Only this time, the fire-breathing foe of the Man of Steel gets caught up with his friend Twisto in a nefarious scheme hatched by the true villain of this piece. Pig Pan Wood. Realizing that he escaped by the skin of his teeth and the bumbling of a fellow fiend, Pig Pan adopts the alias of the Rattler with a unique modus operandi of his own.

Note the comical copper who is Steel's erstwhile companion, always a necessary component in any successful golden age character's strip. And Steel hiimself displays some versatility, not simply relying on his considerable superstrength, durability and "ZIPs" through the air. Realizing he needs to cosy up to the criminal element in order to track it down, he assume a down-and-out hoodlum alias all his own. Shade of Batman's "Matches Malone and definitely highlighting that strategically he is on par with his doppleganger Sarge Steel over at Charlton Comics.

In this battle between Sterling and Rattler, which side will Inferno join in this battle of good and evil? Well we know how he'll ultimately turn out, but the road to redemption is paved with many potential potholes. Not the least of which is getting that snazzy costume he's more famously clad in.

For the conclusion of this mini-epic return with us next time for Part 3 of the Return of Inferno on Steeler Sundays!

Steeler Sundays: The Return of Inferno!

2011-08-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

When last we considered Inferno, we learrned of his stunning origin and his radical turn to the side of truth and justice (even though he was framed by an impersonator stealing his unique modus operandi. But how did this famed flame-breathing fearless fighter face his most fearsome foe, Mr. Sterling himself? Let's look into Zip Comics #11 for the second appearance of this golden age villain turned hero, as he once more engages in a crimespree with his pal Flexo the Rubber Man.

With quite the flair for fiendish felonies, this dastardly duo deviously conspire to successfully loot and pillage, this time without the interference of their former foe Steel Sterling. However, their rather low rent approach doesn't seem to match that of their golden age peers over at All-American Publications or Timely Comics (precursors of DC and Marvel, respectively) despite their rather odd modus operandi of flexibility and fire-breathing. One definite difference from Sterling's doppleganger Sarge Steel is that there was some longterm plotting involved in Sterling's adventures, at least the initial ones, while Sarge's formula was more one-and-done tales (although there were repetitive foes that returned later on like Ivan Chung and other rogues). Perhaps Sterling's strip would be considered a launching pad for other characters in the backpages of Zip Comics (recall that this is prior to the debut of the Web, who himself only lasted for a scant ten issue run... they were really struggling with other features to supplement this publication unlike its companion Pep).

Nevertheless, it is quite clear that the seeds are already in place from the first part of this memorable masterpiece that Inferno is set to become something more than a common hood, even though he is shown rather menacely on both the cover and within this tale. Next week we'll carry on with part two of this timeless tale of evil turned to good. Return with us next Steeler Sunday...

Steeler Sundays: The Original Lex Luthor!

2011-08-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

So you think the whole "I'm going to avenge myself upon you Superboy because you made me bald by blowing toxic fumes back in my face" stiche was patented by Lex Luthor? Think again. Another folicle-challenged foe of a Man of Steel beat him to the punch by several years, in Zip Comics #37. Check out Jameson the jerk confronting Steel Sterling...

Unfortunately for our bald bad boy, he ended up getting burned by his own schemes... literally in fact. Never fear, though, for any concept is fresh for being raped and pillaged by the Big Two at a moments notice, dear reader!

Now had Jameson's opponent been another Steel, Sarge Steel from Charlton, he'd have a sympathetic foil who would understand the loss of a body part... although he at least kept his closely cropped crew cut that was all the rave of ladies in the 60's. Cut clear to the bone? Not so much...

Yellowjacket Webnesdays: The Web, Cover Boy

2011-08-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The Web appeared in exactly ten golden age comics, in Zip Comics #27-37. Despite almost every cover having him and his pal Steel Sterling duking it out versus Axis thugs, he almost never battled foreign foes in his own tales underneath the front cover. And while generally shown as a brunette, in his first and another appearence he appeared as a red head, so apparently he was a fan of the hair dye which was quite unusual among his peers back in the day.

Cap may have had a Red Skull over at Timely Comics, but Web had the more nefarious "Green Skull" to butt heads with

DC Comics may have had the World's Finest Team, but MLJ's dynamic duo of the Web and Steel Sterling was "Top Notch"

This incarnation would then rest until being revitalized within the canon of MLJ/Red Circle in Mighty Crusaders #9, as an aged criminologist (long since retired and having bequeathed his costume to his henpecked son) called upon to testify in the trial of his old ally the Shield.

Yellowjacket Webnesdays: "The Adventure of the Golden Horn"

2011-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Yellowjacket Webnesdays, where we dive into another tale from the golden age with Charlton's most famous hero of that era (and virtually their only one, matter of fact). Once more, Vince Harley decides to investigate the premise behind his latest tale, although this time he's still forming from the beginning.

"Slack off". Umm okay, I'm sure that meant something a little more PC than how it sounds today. When you see a slick customer like this goon with teeth grinning from the start, you know who the villain of the piece is. Now let's dive into the final confrontation between are antagonist and the plot's protagonist, and see if the Count had counted the cost of his corrupt course....

Yikes, so not only did Jacket's yellow pets keep tabs on this troublemaker, one of those buggers sacrificed his life to help his master clock this crook. But tripping on the machination of his malevolent manipulations...classic! And once more, Vince absconds an idea from the actual writer of the story he starred in. C'mon you can do better buddy?!?

Yellowjacket Webnesdays: Horror in Hotel

2011-07-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

The Web usually got knee-deep into trouble that his alter ego, Professor John Raymond, had initially gotten involved in. Which kinda makes sense, since he was a criminologist and crime writer on the side, not dissimiliar from Charlton's Yellowjacket. However, MLJ Comic's resident spider-man found threats not in Hollywood but in a hotel as in this weeks tale:

What secret does this mysterious stranger possess to engender such interest in these nefarious nimrods? What special gadget will the Web unleash on his adversaries? Let's find out...

That's it? What exactly was the purpose of all this chaos? Apparently the writer (not either superhero's other identity, we would hope) left this to our imagination. Which is okay but kind of a cheat, storytelling wise. And the gimmick at Web's disposal... a robe! Not exactly a webline or the exploding web-balls his son John Jr. would use decades hence, but still doable.

What will next tax the terrific talents of our two troubleshooters? Find out next week...

Yellowjacket Webnesdays: Adventure of the Hollywood Blackmailers

2011-07-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

After a lengthy hiatus, we're back with an edition of Yellowjacket Webnesdays where we revisit the thrilling (or semi-entertaining, anyways) adventures of the bold bee-boy of the 1940's.

How will this mystery unfold further? What secret weapon will Yellowjacket unleash (hint: it's a vitamin... no not Miraclo nor 2-X... he had his own special formula). The answers are in part 2...

Interesting way of melding the civilian occupation with the costumed career of Vince Harley. And no one is the wiser that he's one-in-the-same despite a lack of a mask. His doppleganger the Web will himself also be drawn into a web of conflict that his alter ego has to resolve, upcoming...

Charlton, Incorporated: Slueth Suits

2011-06-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

We think Vic Sage finally met his match, no offense Renee Montoya!

Marvel Mondays: The Other Yellowjacket

2011-06-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Quit complaining bug boy. Least you both have a gal to fly by your side!

Charlton, Incorporated: Atomic Aces

2011-06-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lose the mohawk and maybe you'll get a gal, Al!

Marvel Mondays:Webheads Love Redheads

2011-06-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Think again, Spidey. Rose is more a nag than MJ. Course you don't have to worry about that these days, ey?

Charlton, Incorporated: Shady Romance

2011-06-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Marvel Mondays: Super-Soldiers

2011-06-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

True, Joe, but at least Steve has (had?) an admantium shield which beats your supersuit!

Sitcom Saturdays: Derby's Funniest...er Finest

2011-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we asked how a promotional still featuring the Charlton quartet compared with sitcom's fantastic four from Seinfeld. To sum up thus far:

Jerry Seinfeld = Captain Atom
Elaine Benes = Nightshade
George Costanza = Question
Cosmo Kramer = Blue Beetle

Well, let's check out one scene from our proposed new comedy for next fall's lineup, Derbyfeld:

(Yes, yes, lame. Give us credit for at least thinking outside the box if nothing else. You may now return to your serious online browsing, folks. Drive home safely)

Friday Fiends: Foreign Femme Fatales

2011-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Our twin masters of materializing, MLJ's minor league hero Bob Phantom and Charlton's major league villain the Ghost, had more in common than teleporting into troublesome situations. Or their flair for capes and cowls.

Both encountered foreign femme fatales that continually plagued their existence and nearly cost them their lives. Matching their mastery of manipulation of men and machines, Phantom and Ghost outsmarted Japan's Ah-Ku and Sunaria's high priestess using a combination of their potent prowess and their persistence patience even in the face of danger.

While the grand advisor of the Sunarian race of warrior women operated behind-the-scenes until the final confrontation between her people's Faceless One (although the Ghost was not, in fact, their legendary leader... he only looked exactly like him for some strange inexplicable reason), Ah-Ku repeatedly quarreled with Bob Phantom over several cases until she was finally defeated by her adversary.

There are a series of tales chronicled elsewhere on the web that preserve this little known fictional fiend for future fans of fabulous fab fighters of freedom. Although, from the picture above, it was Bob Phantom who was the "fiend" in her eyes, much like the Priestess. And, from a certain perspective, that is definitely true as both enigmatic entities were a thorn in the collective sides of our greedy gals and their minions.

Charlton, Incorporated: Insect Inventors

2011-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Which is cooler... a solar powered suit or flying bug? Yeah, we'd take the bug too!

Marvel Mondays: Creature Counterparts

2011-06-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Animal alias...check. Red jumpsuit....check! Strong physique...check! Wolverine style hair...check!

Sitcom Saturdays: A Comic About Nothing

2011-06-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

When you boil down the fantastuc four of the Charlton Comics universe, you find startling similarities with a famous sitcom, Seinfeld:

The centerpiece of our quartet, Seinfeld, is bubbling with energy and thirsts to be a hero of the caliber of Captain Atom (well, of a certain Man of Steel, actually)
The femme friendly of our foursome can take care of herself in the tough streets of the big city, like Nightshade.
George is the man who questions life in all its complexities, like a Mister Vic Sage.
Then there is the creative mind and quirky personality, a dead ringer for Blue Beetle.

So how would an actual Seinfeld promotional still work with the Charlton cast look? Tune in next week to find out...

Friday Fiends: Green With Greed

2011-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

This installment of Friday Fiends is brought to you by the letters M D D. What do they stand for? An obscure but nevertheless enduring character in the Archie Comics mythos.

Mad Doctor Doom first appeared in the fall of 1962 as a foil for a Little Archie. Accompanied by his boy sidekick Chester, Doom (not to be confused with Victor Von at a Marvelous competitor, who appeared around the same time) continued to bedevil the lad eight additional times before graduating into the big time... and modern day... when he took on a grown-up Mr. Andrews under the alias of Captain Pureheart the Powerful. At times assisted by Pureheart's frienemy Reggie "Evilheart" Mantle, Archie's alter ego had to enlist the aid of his fellow heroes Superteen and Captain Hero to tackle the pair.

Not only was old Doom green with envy, thirsting for world domination (or at least, Riverdale rule) over on Archie's Earth, on the parallel Earth-MLJ where a golden age Archie and his gang rubbed shoulders with the likes of the Shield, another green skinned gone similar to the mad doctor arrived on the scene. Dueling with Steel Sterling, the Monster Master started out a normal scientist until his super-computer transformed him into something more hideous and heinous. And then, of course, Earth-Four had the Preying Mantis who also turned green while battling the Blue Beetle.

It was refreshing to see that Archie, Mighty, and Charlton Comics each decided to focus a bit of attention to that most ignored of minorites... the greenskins. Think it had anything to do with yet another scientist, a Mister Robert Bruce Banner, perhaps?

Crusadering Caps: New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

Among the templates upon which Bill Black rebuilt his Sentinels of Justice, after the departure of their original members from Charlton Comics, was that of Captain Atom. Wait... we considered him previously with Stardust... who emulated the more cosmic aspects that made Nathaniel Adam's alter ego his world's premier protector.

Charlie Starrett was a 19th century ranch hand who assumed the identity of the Latigo Kid. After a conflict on the planet Rur, upon which Stardust resided, Starrett was enlisted in the early 20th century to become their protector named Captain Paragon after consuming a Life Fluid and Stellar Erg Implanter. Although under suspended animation for 30 years after his battle in 1952 with the Black Shroad (shades of Atom's arch-foe the Ghost), Paragon became a founding member of the Sentinels.

As for the seeming duplication of the Cap Atom template, remember that the good Captain became embroiled in conflicts with an alien race of Sunurian warrior women, much like Stardust's own peoples. Perhaps, had the queeen of their race had time to siphon off some of the hero's abilities upon herself, she would've manifested into her world's own variation of sizzling sister. Alas, she was busy squashing the schemes of her planet's monarch, the Ghost, and never had the chance.

Friday Fiends: VS New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

Commando D was the last member of the Sentinels of Justice from the Americomics-verse, and followed similar elements to other smart superheroes. Originally, lab technician Kon-Nar of the parallel world of the Altrann was used as a template for a size-shifting super-soldier to combat the equally malleable menace known as the Vardax. These reptilian desired claiming the world as their latest conquest, and after being overwhelmed by their forces, Kon-Nar and his girlfiend Dorna escaped to Earth.

It was there that Dorna perished, bequeathing her ring to young Denny Bryant, a ring that housed a minaturized chamber which actived Kon-Nar's abilities. Using the dual identity of Connor Page the unassuming civilian and in his costume alias, Commando D! Like Earth-Four's Peter Cannon, the Thunderbolt, Commando also harnessed mythical might from the mental magnificence of a secluded civiliztion. And, like John Raymond aka the Web over on Earth-MLJ, he favored the colors green and yellow while having a red head drapped over his shoulder (a lot less nagging than Rose, Web's wife, we would imagine).

As for the Friday Fiends, the serpentile Vardax? They followed their prey to Earth-AC and drew the attention of the then formed Sentinels to retrieve imprisoned teammate Scarlet Scorpion. Yet their loss is Justice's gain in the form of a giant of man, literally and metaphorically.

Brave Bug Boys: New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

As with the Blue Beetle from Charlton, and the Fly from Archie's Mighty Comics, the Scarlet Scorpion was the latest incarnation of a legacy. While the golden and silver age Blue Beetles were a police officer on super-vitamins and then an archeologist with a powerful gem, and Thomas Troy was capable to fly by his fly-ring, the Scropions were more grounded in the mundane machinations of modern methods.

Poor Mike McCluskey was a truck driver for a mob operation, caught in the middle of their sinister ways, leaving him with serious injuries. Cured by an injection of a cell regeneration virus by microbiologist Myla Chang, Mike gains a new leash on life when he was presented with the costume of a hero from thirty years previous. As the new Scarlet Scorpion, Mike swiftly gained the trust of local law enforcement. Like his fictional inspirations at other comic publishers, Mike had superstrength and physical attributes far above those of mortal men, whcih would draw him into membership within the Sentinels of Justice of the Americomics universe... of which we'll consider...

Dark Damsels: New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

From the Phantom Lady, a superheroines published in 1940's Quality Comics, sprung a sub-genre of dark damsels that have been replicated again... and again... and again. Always with similar elements that highlight brave brunettes battling bad guys.

While Charlton Comics presented Eve Eden as Nightshade, a survivor of a shadow dimension with the ability to turn herself into a shadow and teleport between dimensions. Later, Archie's Red Circle Comics revived the concept in Darkling, aka Darla Lang, a dimension traveling heroine whose powers derived from her cloak. Blending all these elements were filtered into the Blue Bulleteer, the World War II costumed alter ego of Laura Wright who acquired a similar cloak providing her abilities on par with her Sentinels of Justice compatriots when the debuted in 1983.

Team-Up Tuesdays: New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-24T17:46:00.000-07:00

Indeed the Sentinels of Justice were not one-hit wonders... although they were pretty close to qualifying. Thankfully, writer Bill Black decided to quickly revive the Sentinels of Justice brand when its members, all Charlton characters about to be assimilated into DC's Multiverse. However, in order to preserve the modest momentum they tried to maintain, they needed heroes that would fill the roles of the original team's members Captain Atom, Nightshade, the Question and Blue Beetle. And so, we present today's titantic team-up.

First thing you'll notice when comparing the twin teams... no faceless man in a fadora. Kinda hard act to follow? However, the Americomic-verse had others to fill the bill of the remaining senior Sentinels, from the energy avenger, the colorful creeper, the darknight damsel, the crusadering captains. We can take this comparison farther...

For instance, just Stardust and the Shield (Lancelot Strong) mimic one another, so to do Scarlet Scorpion and the Fly, Nightveil and Nightshade, Captain Paragon and the original Shield, and Commando D and the Web. In each case, we have heroes that fit specific niches that complement one another. Alas these Sentinels were only a platform to introduce the much more enduring, and successful, Femme Force. But that is another story.

And this one continues as we dissect this do-gooder division...

Cosmic Crusaders: New Sentinels of Justice

2011-05-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

When Americomics acquired the superhero properties from the then defunct Charlton Comics, the publisher quickly moved to assemble a team to spotlight these heroes as a team, something novel from this group of good guys and gal. So in 1983, the Sentinels of Jusice debutted and appeared exactly once before being shelved until they were integrated into the DC Comics Multiverse in 1985. Meanwhile, the aspiriing publisher guided by editor/writer Bill Black found it a prime opportunity to ride the crest of modest success of the original Sentinels, modeling a new team after the originals yet with distinct differences.

One such divergent doppleganger in the Americomic-verse was Stardust, which according to Wikipedia was originally "Dr. Mara, a top scientist and political dissident from the female-dominated planet Rur. Looking for a weapon to use against the invading Kronons, Mara revives the hibernating Earth hero Captain Paragon and attempts to enlist his help in the battle. While trying to convince Captain Paragon to help, Mara accidentally enters the Stellar Erg Implanter, which gives her super powers."

Mixing elements of Captain Atom and Captain Lancelot Strong, aka the silver age Shield over at Red Circle Comics, Mara empowered superheroines in a manner unheard of either on Earth-Four or Earth-MLJ, making her unique among her peers who mirrored their Charlton and Archie templates. Her teammates would harken back to our featured players here on this blog...

Friday Fiends: Evilhearts of Two Cities

2011-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Like all fictional fiends fabled for fabricating felonies ferociously, the vilains of our twin publishers tended to gravitate to burgs with their own superheroes which protected them from the forces of evil.

Over the past year and a half (with some months of inactivity sprinkled within this period) we have considered such foes of fabled fighters of freedom each Friday. This week, we shift the focus to Riverdale's premier criminal mastermind, and subsequently will dissect some of the other bad guys that surfaced to plague its peace loving citizens.

Evilheart was really Reggie Mantle, a spoiled brat attending Riverdale High with two purposes in life, to entice Veronica Lodge (and Midge Klump, from time to time) into a romantic relationship, and to torment his frenemy Archie Andrews. It was this latter agenda that activated the same PH factor as his freckled foe yet decidely opposite, drawing upon the blackness of his being. Summoning this energy to become Evilheart, Reggie had enhanced strength and durability as well as a plethera of gadgets to use against Arch's alias Captain Pureheart the Powerful, and his allies Superteen and Captain Hero.

On a parallel plane (and publisher) another greedy green garbed goon tormented Hub City, whom we previously considered, in the form of Banshee. Himself relying on a gimmick, a glider cape allowing him to defy gravity, the Banshee was ultimately brought back to Eartth by a faceless foe whose fearlessness exposed this felon as a fraud.

A Tale of Two Towns: Fictional Focalpoints

2011-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Of all that differentiates Charlton from MLJ, nothing separates the two comic lines more than their fictional cities. Oh sure, each publisher had a few psuedo cities wherein their characters visited from time to time, and even a bigger light real metropolis like New York is referenced on occasion. However, when you think of each, you think of Hub City and Riverdale.

The first of the two to appear was Riverdale. Originally referred to in Jackpot Comics #5 (Spring, 1942) in relation to Riverdale High, wherein Archie and his friends attended, this locale soon grew into a life of its own. Reflecting the rather comical but upbeat sentiments of its prominent citizens, this town's actual place on the map has ever been ascertained. Having beaches yet snow, plains and mountains, large buildings and small residential communites... it was a study in contrasts.

While there was a Riverdale both on Earth-MLJ, the world that had a golden age Archie and gang occasionallly rub elbow to elbow with such World War II heroes as the Shield and Hangman, the modern day Archie's Earth also had its own variation of the busy burg, occasionally attracting the attention of Pureheart the Powerful and the Punisher... yes both Riverdales drew the noble champion and grim guardian to its city limits.

As for Earth-Four, Hub City was that planet's Gotham City equivallent with such heroes as the Blue Beetle and the Question protecting it from the vile elements of civil vice. Not as much has been revealed of this population centre aside from its tendency to draw costumed crooks to prey upon the innocents. Eventually, even Captain Atom and Nightshade left the confines of Washington, D.C. to assist their fellow Sentinels in protecting this hub of hubris. Although nothing could protect it from the Crisis that was to come.

An interesting aside... the real cities upon which these two were (undoubtedly) unintentionally inspired by have far more fascinating stories yet to tell...

A Tale of Two Towns: Metropolitan Models

2011-05-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

The germs of an idea are spawned from reality, or so it has been said. For Charlton and MLJ, such was true regarding the towns upon which their cities were based.

In Charlton's case, it was Derby, Connecticut. Consisting of 12,391 people, 5,252 households, and 3,245 families, this was where Charlton Comics were produced throughout the decades until finally folding in the early 1980s in a 150,000 square-foot building in Derby city limits. The publishers of this comic line chose this venue as opposed to Manhattan so as to conttrol costs, and such talents as Joe Gill and Steve Ditko resided in Derby hotels rather than purchasing or renting homes. No doubt this was due to the thrifty nature of their employer, and the concern over how stable such work would be in the years to come. If such was the concern, it was well founded.

And for MLJ which became Archie, it was Haverhill, Massachusetts upon which Riverdale allegedly originated. Located on the Merrimack River, the town fathers have attempted to revitalize sections of the community through urban renewal. This nearly cost them the loss of an iconic treasure, the old school building upon which Riverdale High was based. Instead, the structure was rechristened as the new City Hall. However, the actual town wherein Archie Comics are produced is the Village of Mamaroneck, which has 18,752 people, 7,096 households, and 4,874 families residing residing therein. More prominent, picturesque, and prosperous than Derby, Mamaroneck also reflects how far more successful Archie has been then its one time competitor Charlton.

The Fly versus the Blue Beetle Round 3

2011-05-15T00:00:00.001-07:00

Now given, we are presenting to you, our readership, in a dancing duel to the death a Thomas Troy as originally imagined by Joe Simon with C.C. Beck and reimagined by the boss of Joe's partner, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee.

So instead of Blue Beetle versus Silver Spider, we have the more familiar webslinger upon which a movie franchise resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in box office has produced.

Consider how much more they would have made if "So You Think You Can Dance...Bugs?" ever made it to the silver screen. We offer this as fuel for some enterprising Hollywood screenwriter...

(And for more on the history of the Silver Spider concept, as well as other historical gems and factoids on one-half of our favorite subject in these here parts, check out the most excellent Mighty Crusaders network which is a storehouse of infromation on all things Archie and Mighty/MLJ!)

Friday Fiends: Good Guys Getting Greedy

2011-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the greatest fiends of Charlton and MLJ didn't start out as such. And yet, each became consumed in his own success and dreams of conquest, albeit not on purpose. Honest!

When DC Comics attempted to craft an epic crossover throughout its various series, a new supervillain named Monarch appeared. A vile tyrant of the year 2030 who found his start in 1991, the one thing known about him was that he was a former superhero.

Although originally intended to be Captain Atom adopting this new alias, he was revealed to be another hero known as Hawk. However, Atom eventually adopted this identity after several time traveling machinations of the original, although his criminal career was relatively short and didn't taint his lasting legacy as a larger-than-life legend.

When MLJ Comics tried various means to brand their flagship series Pep a success, a comical lad named Archie introduced his readers to a world of teenage comics from which he would henchforth be king from which other publishers would aspire to imitate.

However, the side effect of this success led to the fall of costumed crusaders such as the Shield and Hangman, who once held sway over their small but significant share of readers. So, in essence, Archie ended up doing what several foes like the Hun and Captain Swastika couldn't... vanquish the underwear set... banishing them into comicbook limbo from which they would not return for nearly twenty years!

Team-Up Tuesdays: L.A.W. = Lame Assemblage of Wannabees

2011-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Action-Heroes were distinct among most creations in the silver age of comics in that they never worked together as a team, aside from Captain Atom and Nightshade, Judomaster and Tiger, and one case featuring Blue Beetle and the Question.

Americomics acquired four of these adventurers to form the Sentinel of Justice, this concept quickly fizzled when a bigger boy on the block bought-out this crop of charcters. Then an issue of Justice League Quarterly threw Thunderbolt and Judomaster into the mix.

The latest attempt at resurrecting the Sentinels of Justice was DC Comics' L.A.W. mini-series, by bringing these legends together to battle a common foe. Alas it fell flat in so far as the individual members were treated as weapons instead of protectors, there was no chemistry necessary to endear readers to such a group, and it turned out one of their own was the malevolent mastermind that was the reason for their forming to begin with (shades of Hal Jordan, anyone?)!

Once the deux machina at the end of the mini-series was executed, leading to the exiled Justice League of America returning to Earth to tackle mastermind Avatar's minions, the purpose behind the Living Assault Weapons (a truly regrettable name) quickly eroded. Which is disppointing considering that former Charlton sfaff members Bob Layton and Dick Giordano were the creative forces behind this tale.

Surprisingly, a crew of less well-rounded characters that lacked the characterization were far more appealing to the reader, in the form of Archie's Mighty Crusaders. While possessing internal conflict between its individual members and the loss of teammates, the second volume of Crusaders in the 1980s and even the !mpact series in 1992 treated its cast as noble-minded and their world's premier team, something that sadly L.A.W. could not as they were already marginalized by their owners' more prominent headliners.

Friday Fiends: Dusty Trails of Mystery

2011-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Alas, if only that were true, Dusty. Instead, what became of you all those decades remains a mystery still to be revealed. While your mentor, the Shield, was zapped by a ray by the underworld assassin known as the Eraser and transformed into a statue of iron for over twenty years, the fiend that found you kept you for twice as long. When your partner finally reunited with you in the early twenty-first century, he was now a member of the Mighty Crusaders battling that same foe alongside Pureheart and his super teen pals of Riverdale from a parallel universe. Perhaps it was the same criminal that vanguish both surrogate father and son, given you haven't aged any since the waning days of World War II?

As for Tiger, what became of him depends on what continuity you follow. On Earth-Four, his original plane of existence, he eventually became the mentor of Eve Eden aka the future Nightshade. On that world, at least, he honored his missing partner's legend by training a new generation of hero to take up the call of the costumed crusader.

Sadly, in the reconstituted Earth created following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Tiger was a disgruntled young man unwelcomed in the country of his mentor, Judomaster. While the duo traveled the globe for years, eventually resentment began to develop between the pair causing and irrepairable split leading them from caring colleagues to aggressive adversaries.

Gaining abilities from ancient devices, Tiger became Avatar, vowing to destroy all those that would implement the tools of war on youths such as he was. However, his misguided attempt led to his path towards supervillany instead of heroism he had aspired to in his early years, although it did lead to the drawing together of Charlton's finest for one final teamup together.

Team-Up Tuesdays: Sentinels of...Justice League?

2011-05-03T00:00:00.001-07:00

In Justice League Quarterly #14, an old enemy of Peter Cannon's resurfaced to reclaim what he felt was taken from him by Thunderbolt, the preeminent position in the Vajra. This villian, Andreas Havoc, attempted to psychologically tear down Cannon's mental might but was circumvented from doing so by a quartet of allies he had a strange affinity towards.

With Nightshade, Captain Atom and Blue Beetle assisting T-Bolt on one front, a new Judomaster appeared to aid the heroes on yet another. What was borne from this assemblage of avengers was the aspirations of all fans of Charlton Comics, with *most* of their characters teaming up (notable exceptions being the original Blue Beetle, Son of Vulcan and the Question, while Sarge Steel only made a cameo).

Alas, this potential paragon of protectors never had a chance to thrive as this was a one-shot adventure, much like the Sentinels of Justice had been some sixteen years before this issue. Why didn't this group gain more traction, given DC Comics' desire to spotlight these recently purchased properties? Perhaps because they felt that individually the charcters had more chance of success being distributed thought this fictional universe's teams and solo titles. Or, more probably, the sales figures didn't reflect strongly on there being a strong enough fan base for such a continuing series.

The harbinger for such an argument is the short-lived 1992 !mpact Comics' Crusaders series. Although a novel concept itself, it languished in its watered down versions of tried-and-true silver age stalwarts from the Mighty Comics era. Still, there was a certain charm in this pairing as there was with the Sentinels of Justice League. Still, there was one more incarnation of Charlton crusaders yet to come...

Friday Fiends: The Tiger Shows His Teeth

2011-04-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Notable former sidekicks that turn on their mentors, at least temporarily, have grown in this modern age of comics. Previously, a boy hero was loyal to his mentor throughout his career from youth to adulthood. Yet now, such characters as Jason Todd (the former Robin II) and Bucky Barnes (original ward of a certain Steve Rogers) became fueled with a rage spawned in part from living in the shadow of their earlier rolemodel.

Add to the list Tiger, a lad whose career actually started in emnity as he soured on a Rip Dagger until learning that this seemingly cocky caucasian was secretly Judomaster a man more honorable then the Japanese warrior known as Cat, who earlier held sway to the affections of the kid.

Thankfully over at MLJ Mighty, the premier prepubescent partner, Dusty remained tried-and-true to his guardian, the Shield. Although there is the never explained mysterious decades long disappearence of the Boy Detective, hinted at when the time-lost lad was pulled from the 40's into the 60's during a Mighty Crusaders case. Upon seeing the colorfully clad lad, the Shield's son felt a tinge of guilt when his identity was called into question by the boy despite the second Shield's similar appearance to his legendary father. This was later reinforced by internal monologue of the original crusader, who retruned from decades of suspended animation, pondering on what became of Dusty. If he did not turn to the dark side, did the dark side somehow claim him instead?

Further developments would shed some light into what became of Tiger and Dusty from then until now...

Team-Up Tuesdays: Crusaders at Red Circle

2011-04-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Around the same timeframe that Americomics Special came out from that publisher, debuting the Sentinels of Justice for their one-time official team-up, Red Circle dug up their heroic properties for another go-around. Only this time, they were serious about it.

Highlighting the same characters, more-or-less, that graced the pages of the original series in the mid-60's, the Mighty Crusaders were now a force to be reckoned with... complete with their own recurring adversaries in the form of Eterno and their arch-foe the Brain Emperor.

The Mighty Crusaders towed the line between edgy and kid-friendly in their approach to crime. And they came equipped with the franchise player (Fly), energy-weilder (Lancelot Strong), flying powerhouse (Jaguar), urban avenger (Web), female member (Fly-Girl) and living legend (the Shield). All filled in their niches nicely.

And the difference between them and the Sentinels was they were their world's greatest heroes. Now Captain Atom definitely would qualify as one of his, but Nightshade, Blue Beetle and the Question? Not so much. With Atom wearing the multiple hats of franchise player/flying powerhouse/living legend, the rest pretty much over compensated on the urban avenger front (with token female thrown in for good measure). Not like Charlton had many others to fill those shoes... the original Blue Beetle had not returned yet (but would soon after), Son of Vulcan was no longer relevant, and Judomaster was stuck in World War II with no way out (until the Crisis time-shifted him to the present).

Next week we'll dissect two more attempts at revitalizing the Sentinels for a more jaded 1990's readership, and whether they elevated the game of second-string superheroes as had their Mighty counterpart at Archie.

Distinctive Competition Showcases the Fly?

2011-04-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

While Charlton Comics got no love from neither DC nor Marvel during the mid to late 1960's when their action heroes debutted to modest success, at least Mighty Comics gained some notoreity with DC. Or did they?

From Showcase #69, which spotlighted a non-descript fictional rock band named the Maniaks, comes this scene of a "Human Fly". At first glance, this might be perceived as a wink and a nod for the Fly.

Only by the time this issue hit the shelves in July 1967, the only superhero title published by Archie was Mighty Comics which assumed the numbering of Fly's title. And this title featured the Shield and Hangman, with the Fly history by this point.

Upon closer examination, the second fireman's comment "I never Spied a Man who could climb like that" seems to be a tip of hat to a certain Peter Parker instead of Thomas Troy.

Watchmen and Friends: The Missing Issue!

2011-04-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Who watches the Watchmen of Riverdale?

Why Principle Weatherbee of course!

Who would win a battle between Captain Pureheart the Powerful and the Horned Owl?

Depends on whether Mr Owl sends his gal-pals after Cap, given his weakness towards kisses and all.

Why would Jughead where that odd mask?

C'mon, if you had that kinda face, wouldn't you prefer a big huge inkblot where your sourpuss was?

Who is Betty if Veronica is the Silk Spectre?

Well, she IS Superteen in her alter ego, so...

Who would win between Silky and Supes?

That's fodder for another post, someday perhaps?

(P.S. Apparently Arche DOES like Watchmen... despite our earlier post to the contrary!)

Team-Up Tuesdays: Actions-Heroes of DC

2011-04-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

This advanced solicit from ~~1983~~ 1986 indicated a new wave of characters debutting to help revitalize DC Comics, which suprisingly turned out to be recycled Action-Heroes of old. Oh sure, they seemed like the originals... on the surface. Well, with one notable exception.

Captain Atom in his mostly silver exterior lost his humanity and made him more a sentient weapon than what he was meant to be, his world's premier protector. Which makes sense, as he and his cronies were assimilated into the DC collective of characters, his new owners felt he had to stand out. As a result, he may have become more marketable but less marvelous. And he wasn't alone.

Nightshade, Peacemaker, Judomaster... all background players with no relevant tales told. Sarge Steel was useful as a "King Faraday" type of government intermediary with the meta-human commmunity. The two true stars in this crop were Blue Beetle and the Question, although each lost something to gain something more.

For Beetle, he was made into the class clown with a sizeable intellect, and this helped to enhance his persona. And the Question... lost his objectivist stylings and molded himself in a more eastern philosophical bent that would've more appropriately been grafted upon Judomaster... of the missing-from-this-ad Peter Cannon aka Thunderbolt.

In the end, decades after their purchase into a major comics publisher, which of these characters has a continuing title spotlighting this adventures? A sizable fanbase? Enduring legacies?

Perhaps leaving them to languish with the now defunct publisher in Derby, Connecticut may have enhanced their value in the eyes of the reading public-at-large?

Black Hood... or Brown Beard? Boys on Bikes.

2011-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Yes yes... the day has finally arrived. It had to... after all this is a Charlton blog. And overlooking one of Earth-Four's finest is unacceptable.

Okay, he actually ISN'T one of its finest. Still, he scored several appearances in the rocking 1970's, so Jonnie Love is going to be getting some... well... love on this blog. Well if not love, certainly a notable mention.

Interestingly, Mr. Love has several features in common with a prime character of the 1970's mini-resurrence of Archie Comic's Mighty/Red Circle line. Specifically a modern version of a modestly famous MLJ hero from the 1940's, the Black Hood. Or rather, his nephew Kip.

While Jonnie Love was a poor lost soul simply trying to find his way home... how he got so far from home that it took him nine plus tales just to get a bit closer... it beyond your humble host. Regardless, he sported a fancy helmet (designed after cracking his head during one of his mis-adventures) and a not so stylish motorcycle. Does that thing have, like, ten horsepower?

A few years later, former police officer Kip Burland debutted as the latest in a long line of Black Hoods. Only instead of donning a snazzy costume like his predecessors, he wore a leather jacket and jeans, with his one distinctive feature being the black hood he wore on cases. Oh, and a sweet ride that traversed land, sea even air (well, the one loaned to him by the Comet did the latter).

While Love's tales were a bit formulaic, with the lovesick hero falling into bad situations all along his journey while attracting every woman in his path, Hood's were simply classic. A disenfranchised officer of the law deciding to strike out on his own as a private investigator/costumed avenger to clean his town of its corruption.

So while Love never stayed in one place long, Hood kept his feet firmly planted in his native burg to cure it of its ailing evil elements. Perhaps if Love had a ride like Hood, he'd have done the same. Or maybe, if Hood had the found love again... and again... and again... like Love, he'd have ventured outside his confort zone more. Who knows?

Cartoon Crusaders: A Possible Scenario

2011-04-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Previously we have considered the brief forays into multi-media of the Charlton and MLJ characters. Sadly, there has never been an animated forum for the latter, which may have had the potential to buoy Archie's hero brand to success.

True some minor comics publishers have attempted this only to quickly close shop on their television venue. Nevertheless, given the subtle but strong staying power of such concepts as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sonic, with lengthy publihsed series in comic book forum following their cartoon appearances, its not hard to conceive of something similar transpiring with the Fly, Web, and the rest of the Mighty Crusaders.

Now that these characters have seemingly defaulted back to Archie after their latest failed attempt over at DC, now would be the time to capitalize on this concept. And of course, a guest star appearance by a certain Dark Knight (be it in DCAU or Brave and Bold form) wouldn't hurt. C'mon Bats... you bosses owe these under used assets that much for what meager profits they gave you through the years?

Amazingly Agile Americans Attain Asian Abilities

2011-04-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

Even within a comic publisher, often creators will conceive characters with similar attributes to function within the same fictional universe. Sometimes with startling results... assuming they are able to interact to any measurable degree.

Sadly, while Judomaster and Thunderbolt were appearing in their own self-titled comics under the Charlton banner of the late 1960s, ne'er twain the two did meet! Perhaps there was a reason.

While each was distinct in specific ways, each spawned from the minds of equally gifted artist writers, they had some fundamental similarities:

Americans trained in the proficency of an Asian artist style of self-defense
Champions developed by seasoned masters to combat insidious international threats
Positive mind-sets propel their physical abilities to their peak efficiency
Spunky sidekicks assisted these masters in both their self-training and their adventures

Were they to have met in am epic duel, what may have transpired?

Undoubtedly, Peter Cannon's superior mental disciplines coupled with his muscular conditioning would more than match that of Rip Jagger, if for no other reason than the special scroll that Thunderbolt had access to as well as decades of training from childhood onward, as opposed to Judomaster who was trained as an adult. Still, after the requisite superhero smackdown ala Marvel Comics style, the two heroes would then team-up to protect the world from any threats that may endanger their precious Earth-Four!

Escelsior!

Introducing the new Jaguar Rescue Team!

2011-03-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Why this was never a crossover is a true mystery. What more could you ask for... a ferocious (or is it furocious?) feline fighter and a trio of love struck sassy lasses.

Oh sure, Cat Girl, Kree-Nal and Jill Ross were a bevy of beautiful broads, however they were quickly forgotten by the time the object of their affection... Jaguar... was revived in the 1980's. However, Josie and the Pussycats are an enduring legacy who hit the big screen.

Imagine had they have met... once would have been all it took for instant sparks to fly and the teen troubadour trio's unsheathed claws to aim squarely at one another... competing for the love of the crossbreeding of Kal-El and Logan. Think about it, having Superman and Wolverine all wrapped in one would make even Lois Lane, Lana Lang and Lori Lemarus jump for joy!

(Wait a second... Lois=Jill, Lana=Cat Girl, Lori=Kree-Nal! Wild!)

Can we solicit here on this prominent forum a request for Archie to make this pairing a reality?

Shovel-Ready Jobs for Super-Righteous Joes

2011-03-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Since unemployment is near double digits in America, we here at CvsMMLJ want to do our part to keep as many qualified spandex superheroes out of unemployment agencies and on the street, entertaining all with their daring deeds to do!

Come to think of it, how would one collect benefits if one is already a jobless vigilante. Forget the wealthy playboys... of which in our stable of mystery men only Peter Cannon (aka Thunderbolt) qualifies for in our crop of both creative and crummy characters.

Perhaps there is some IRS that monitors the selfless deeds of those wearing their underwear on the outside? Only instead of Internal Revenue Service it's the Investigators of Righteous Superheroes, and instead of collecting W-2's the collect newspaper clippings. much like our friend is reading in the same rag where he finds his want ads?

Still, any rube (sorry Red Rube!) could don a cape and garish costume then claim he is a hero. We suspect there is some way to audit such an alleged able-bodies avenger of all-men. Maybe they had to register with the local 7 union before they hit the streets, otherwise the union boss would sick one of his henchmen on the poor unsuspecting rube (once more, our apologies Red).

Otherwise, this was just a throwaway panel in Josie's comic? Kinda funny that Josie #22, wherein we find this clip, is long after her publisher Archie/MLJ and rival Charlton fired their whole crop of costumed characters? Strange we don't see them... oh wait... there's the Fly and Black Hood! Glad they got their 5 seconds of fame in the frigid bronze age!

Under the Hood: The Makings of a Question

2011-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Crusading journalist Vic Sage at a deep-seated desire, undoubtedly due to his objectivism believes held by his idol Ayn Rand, felt the need to do more. And more was definitely needed as his home, Hub City, was a cesspool of crime and corruption needing a courageous crimefighter to curtail its cunning crooks.

Enter the Question.

However, while Sage had physical attributes allowing him to hold his own versus most opponents... particularly due to his fueled fearless fighting spirit... he could not openly combat criminals on the streets while televised publicly as an opinionated anchorman.

Enter Aristotle Roder.

Roder was the scientist who developed a revolutionary technique that would, in essence, transform Sage into superhero. And this technique would be the defining trait for Vic's alter ego.

The tool that Roder developed for his friend was pseudoderm, which mimics a a perfect, invisible skin-imitating bandage.

In one rendition of his origin, the Question first encountered this scientific miracle when Aristotle enlisted Sage's aid to retrieve it from the hands of a felon using it for illicit purposes. Using the material as a mask, Vic decided to wear it as a long-term fix for his alias.

According to DC Wikia: "The Question Mask perfectly hides the features of its wearer, making it seem as though the face is non-existent, and completely covered in skin. It does not impede breathing or eyesight. The mask is hidden in an easily concealable belt. The balled up pseudoderm is in the buckle, where it can be easily removed and rolled out to cover the face. A special chemical applied to the face that mimics aftershave, when combined with a gas released from the belt, makes the mask stick to the face so fast that it cannot be taken off by hand or any conventional means. A second spray of gas makes it come off."

But it is the man behind the mask that truly makes the Question... unique.

Under the Hood: The Makings of a Blue Beetle

2011-03-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

Born in an era where there was a plethora of powerful public protectors, Daniel Garret wanted to join their ranks. And donning the blue uniform of a beat cop wasn't enough for the young man, more was needed in his estimation.

Another common aspect of that period was the various sources of superhuman abilities one could purchase at the local pharmacy. Well, that really wasn't the case, after all Miraclo wasn't distributed by Bannermain Chemicals until decades after it was first discovered, and then only had a clientele of... well... two!

Nevertheless, Garret was blessed to live in a neighborhood with a generous pharmacist/inventor who would help Dan attain his dream... and much more...

From this momentous meeting, the original Blue Beetle was born!

Per Comicvine: "When officer Garret received a gun shot wound in the line of duty, his life was saved by this scientist. Dr. Franz had invented the secret and highly experimental Vitamin 2X, which provided Dan, as the Blue Beetle, with super-strength, heightened senses, faster speed, invulnerability and increased intelligence.

Dan would return to Dr. Franz's office, where he kept his Blue Beetle costume, each time he needed to super-charge." Well, at least until enough years passed and readers forgot the origin of Beetle's powers, which by then included flight... then Franz and Vitamin 2x faded into obscurity.

Under the Hood: The Makings of a Yellowjacket

2011-03-23T00:00:00.001-07:00

Although most golden age masked men had origins explaining their powers, even if said origins were rather flimsy. However, there were those exceptions that 1.) weren't masked and, 2.) just came upon their powers through apparent osmosis (or rather plot contrivance).

Within the story, it appears that crime fiction author Vince Harley gained the ability to mentally control wasps of the variety that he named himself after as the Yellowjacket. And what of his miniature minions?

According to Wikipedia: "Yellowjacket is the common name in North America for predatory wasps of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. Members of these genera are known simply as "wasps" in other English-speaking countries. Most of these are black and yellow; some are black and white , while others may have the abdomen background color red instead of black. They can be identified by their distinctive markings, small size (similar to a honey bee), their occurrence only in colonies, and a characteristic, rapid, side to side flight pattern prior to landing. All females are capable of stinging which can cause pain to the person who has been stung. Yellowjackets are important predators of pest insects. They have a lance-like stinger with small barbs and typically sting repeatedly, though occasionally the stinger becomes lodged and pulls free of the wasp's body; the venom, like most bee/wasp venoms, is primarily only dangerous to those who are allergic, unless a victim receives a large number of stings."

Under the Hood: The Makings of a Peacemaker

2011-03-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Christopher Smith grew up the sole child whose father was an army officer turned statesman and whose mother was a research scientist mother. His wealth, skill at flying fighter aircraft and scientific aptitude derived from them both. Smith was employed as a pacifist diplomat working as a U.S. Peace Envoy for the Geneva Arms Conference.

These two distinct worlds came colliding into one another with an international named Bork threatened the world's security. Donning the alias of Peacemaker, Smith utilized his various gadgets to full effect to topple the aspiring dictator.

This incident led to his fully adopting a new role into his already complex life, as a world-traveling troubleshooter/costumed hero, a venture which would ultimately claim is role as diplomat.

Behind the scenes, Peacemaker incorporated several key pieces of technology into his state-of-the-art costume. Chief among these is his helmet which included a powerful laser always at his disposal, and a jet pack allowing him low-altitude flight when time was of the essence.

Additionally, with such items as his nitrocellulose pack, fire bomb vile and derringer, Smith always had to assess the situation to assure that the maximum effect to resolve a crisis was utilized while attaining the minimum amount of devastation when such tools were used.

Although most of his career has been left undocumented, those few cases assessable to public record indicates he fearless and intelligently employed his inventions adequately.

Steeler Sundays: Dopplegangers Under the Hood

2011-03-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Steels known as Sarge and Sterling, were there publishers' renditions for "Men of Steel", each possessing attributes of the original Superman while grounding them to a more human template in both characterization and abilities.

In order to obtain a skill set necessary to dare approach such a legend, they each depended upon technology to give them an edge. For Sarge, it was his surgically repaired left hand, fully mechanized providing him hydraulic strength in its robotic joints. For Sterling, it was an anti-gravity belt allowing him to hurtle unencumbered through the air.

Alas, they need a steady diet of yellow sun radiation and light gravity to match the Metropolis Marvel's marvelous mighty. Oh wait, they have both! To bad neither was born on Krypton to take advantage of either...

DC Dopplegangers: Darknight Damsels

2011-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

These ladies are mirror images of one another, in more than one way actually. DC's Phantom Lady was the premier heroine of her original publisher, Quality Comics, during the 1940's. Bestowed with a black-light beam projector given to her by a friendly professor, debutante Sandra Knight donned this guise (such as it was at the time).

The mysterious Darkling, known through unverified sources as Darla Lang, was a hero in her own right. Although she didn't project dark like her name would indicate, her true ability matched up well to that of Phantom Lady's later legacy, dimension transportation. Both caped lasses joined predominantly masculine teams to save the Multiverse from various threats, and neither returning to her home world because of their self-sacrificing dedication the protection of innocents throughout the cosmos.

DC Dopplegangers: Sensational Shields

2011-03-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, DC Comics had rolled out their own Crusaders in the late 1970s to play to part of foils for the Freedom Fighters. Based on Marvel's Invaders, leading to an unofficial crossover as each team battled amalgams of the other, there were traces of Mighty Comics' Mighty Crusaders and their supporting characters.

The most obvious comparison is between Americommando and his 1940 template, the Shield. Besides their red, blue and while plumage which they are arrayed in, they sport stripes, stars, and flowing locks atop their non-traditional masks.

Additionally, each has an indomitable spirit driving them to support their causes. However, while for the Shield it is freedom and peace for all, for Americommando it is to subjugate the masses with his Nazi ideology. Yep, he's really the Silver Ghost underneath.

What's interesting is that in his criminal alias, the Ghost has the ability to turn humans into silver... something the Shield wouldn't like since his foe the Eraser turned him into an iron statue for decades. Hence, of these two, Commando trumps over his adversary in battle.

DC Dopplegangers: Sultry Sea-Supers

2011-03-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

No line of characters is complete without the sea-faring superhero, and the Crusaders each had one... sort of. Actually over at Mighty Comics, shortly before her love interest Jaguar met up with that league of legends and decades before joining them, the pheromone feline flummoxed fighting feline met the sea circe herself, Kree-Nal.

No, she was not related to Captain Mar-Vell although she was likewise part of an alien invasion, in her case an invasion of one. DC's Crusaders had the Baracuda, formerly an unassuming fanboy who was solicited by uber-Nazi the Silver Ghost to be recruited into his faux-World War II team of heroes. Turned into a man-beast with flight and mighty to exercise his right to fight, Barracuda had like his teammates proved easily dispatched by Quality Comics' finest.

And in a battle between these two wet warriors, Kree-Nal would have the upper hand simply because she can mutate and control any sea life, and that includes a faux-Sub-Mariner. Additionally, what gill breather would not be intoxicated by this bewildering beauty???

DC Dopplegangers: Fearless Fireballs

2011-03-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Interestingly, each team sported their own "Fireball". named the same with similar flame-wielding abilities. Of course, Ted Tyler was a firefighter while old Lennie Wein was a fanboy, so while one was a professional hero the other was an amateur nerd.

Nevertheless, in a mano-y-mano fight between the two human torches, it would seem Fireball-DC would have the upper-hand on Fireball-MLJ, since he in enveloped in all-consuming flames enabling to create tangible shapes and defy gravity, while his opponent merely could absorb and control ambient heat around him... oh and leap mighty bounds. Still, he had girlfriend Hedy (Hedy?) Harris pulling for him, instead of a junior sidekick named Sparky. That has to count for something in the grand scheme of plot developments.

Mighty Crusaders in a Parallel Universe

2011-03-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Sure DC Comics tried their hand at Archie's Mighty Crusaders brand twice, in the modestly successful !mpact line of the 1990's and more recently the Red Circle series of in-continuity publications more recently.

What most are unaware of is the first appearance of the Crusaders... not those ones exactly... rather the foils for the Freedom Fighters.

Consisting of pastiche versions of Marvel's Invaders, from Americommando (Captain America), Rusty (Bucky), Baracuda (Namor the Sub-Mariner), Fireball (Human Torch) and Sparky (Toro), these were actually four fan boys empowered by supervillain Silver Ghost seeking revenge on his old foes.

Immediately, there is a tip-of-the-hat to the Shield in A-Commando's uniform, head gear, even his own shield.
Baracuda channels a bit of Jaguar's girlfriend Kree-Nal in the underwater motif and alien skin pigmentation.
Fireball and his MLJ counterpart would definitely have a volatile relationship, energized by equal parts ability and angst.
Rusty and Shield's long lost sidekick Dusty could swap tales of goofy names and such.
Sparky would encounter a grown-up Inferno whose bad breath matches his own.
This would lead the rest of Archie's Crusaders to face DC's Crusaders, i.e. Phantom Lady vs Darkling, Human Bomb vs Comet, Uncle Sam vs Captain Flag, Dollman and girlfriend Martha vs Fly and Fly Girl, Firebrand vs Firefly, Black Condor vs Black Hood, Happy "Ray" Terrill vs Lancelot "Shield" Strong. COOL!

Still, these latecomers of the underwear-clad set were quickly dealt decisive blows by the Quality Comics gang, so the similarly obscure MLJ crew wouldn't have a problem with these also-rans.

Action-Heroes in a Parallel Universe

2011-03-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

What may have been in a parallel universe, had DC Comics published the Action-Heroes in the mid to late 1960s rather than Charlton.

When you get down to it, some stark realities reveal themselves through this exercise:

All of these characters except one (Adam Strange) were principally defined by the teams they joined.
Two had their own self-titled comics (Atom and Karate Kid...although Strange had a mini-series later).
All were all zapped by energies (Thunderbolt/solar/Zeta/White Dwarf/chronological) which sent them to unexpected locales throughout the multiverse.
All of them were B-level characters that shined most when they were underestimated by those around them.

And all of them are near spitting images of their brethren over at Derby, if form if not always in substance.

Getting Some Pep Into Your Step: Hangman vs Mother Goose!

2011-03-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

Let's get some "Pep into your step" with a truncated tale from Pep #30 featuring the Hangman, prior to his radically rotten disposition as mid-60's villain turned mid-80's paternal ogre. An interesting diametric involves the relationship with he and his Charlton counterpart Punch's blond bombshells, the ever alluring Thelma (aka the "hand-me-down" girlfriend...sorry Comet your bro called dibs when you evaporated) and always evil Jewelee. Not to mention each having a propensity towards...well... goofiness despite the malevolence they try to exude.

Anyways, here we go...

Okay, so we understand around this time that Mad Hatter was already booked for an engagement with a certain Dark Knight detective, but couldn't this erstwhile earl of the eerie have found a better opponent than this creepy crone?

Yikes! On the trail of this pointy-hat predator, after she dealt with two of three sons in a mysterious Dickson family (wait... Dickson... Dickerson... could it be a connection? Or rather, the writer's laziness), our Stringed Sentinel is... roped... into a dangerous situation. Egads, however will he procure himself out of this situation? Never fear, gentle reader...

Well said, Punch, although we doubt Jewelee could get her hair stay immaculately pristine in windstorm quite like Thelma. Either she used a six-pack of hairspray of bobby-pins galore.

And speaking of the fairer sex... no fair throwing us a curve ball... a vengeful dude in drag? Sigh, face it he ain't no Captain Swastika, who had a better costume even though half of it was mere dress slacks.

Stay tuned for more installments of "Getting Some Pep Into Your Step".

DC Dopplegangers: Webhead Writers

2011-02-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

Beating our favorite webhead to the printer a full nine months before his debut in 1942, there was the Tarantula busting on the scene with the Web waiting in the wings.

An obvious comparison between the two with several points of similarity:

Jonathan and John, as in Mr. Law and Mr. Raymond.
A noted mystery writer and a criminologist. The former dabbled in crime fiction and the latter in chronicling his profession.
Neither willing to mat down their blond locks, they each wore half-faced masks.
Both had a leaning towards using webs in the modus operandi and tools.
Each battled crime during World War II solo while at times alongside others.
They had short published runs, with Tarantula's lasting 19 issues of Star-Spangled Comics and Web's lasting 12 issues of Zip Comics.

Once more, B-listers on their absolute best days yet breaking the mode in their non-traditional backgrounds and sense of style.

DC Dopplegangers: Restless Reporters

2011-02-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Steve Ditko was the superstar artist seeking creative freedom throughout his career. Rarely achieving his ideal setting to unleash his unorthodox take on art and storytelling, at least twice he struck a similar cord. The result were two potential legends.

The Question debuted in 1967 as a backup feature of Derby Connecticut's Charlton Comics' Blue Beetle, for five issues. A sixth issue of the hero's adventures were compiled in Mysterious Suspense in 1968.

The Creeper debuted in 1968, after his former employer's superhero action line essentially folded (the Phantom not withstanding) in an issue Showcase before six issues of his self-titled series. And besides having short-lived runs before being revived years later, each had other similarities:

Jack Ryder and Vic Sage were temperamental television personalities who espoused the ideals of their creator of objectivism, although Jack much less so.
Each had a blonde coworker at their television stations that struck just as many nerves and heartstrings of our heroes.
In their costumed identity, intelligent scientists bestowed them with devices that transformed them from well known television personalities into notorious heroes.
Law enforcement authorities had an edgy relationship with this pair, with their most consistent allies being blue garbed millionaires Batman and Blue Beetle.

While never achieving the limelight of A-list heroes from the main publishers, each gained an appreciative fanbase which allowed them time and again to return, most of the time beside their fellow crusaders.

Steeler Sundays: Post-Game Wrap-Up

2011-02-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

Steeler Sundays: Don't Drink and Drive Part 2

2011-02-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

Steeler Sundays: Don't Drink and Drive Part 1

2011-02-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned later today for Part 2...

Archie Doesn't Like the Watchmen

2011-02-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

If looks could kill, watch the daggers flying from the Archies' eyes gazing upon our heroes! They just aren't into Alan Moore in Riverdale, I suppose!?! More of a Springdale thing, me thinks...

The Black Hood Wants You: To Tune Out...

2011-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

While never achieving animated fame, at least one member of the Mighty Crusaders did reach a modest level of priminence in another medium. Which seemed to be a harbinger of a revival two decades later in the form of "Radio Comics", predecessor to Mighty/Red Circle Comics.

Kip Burland aka the Black Hood was featured in a radio drama that aired from July 7, 1943 until January 1944, consisting of 120 episodes of fifteen minute episodes each. Starring the voices of Scott Douglas as the signature character and Marjorie Cramer as his girlfriend Babs, the series was noted as mostly pedestrian since stringent broadcast standards prohibited the more violent elements featured in the comics of that decade.

An excellent resource for this obscure series can be found at the Mighty Crusaders website as well as other items of interest on the Archie heroes.

Archie Animated: The End of a Cult Classic

2011-01-27T00:00:00.001-08:00

The Archies had all the makings of a perpetual plethera of plentiful plots from the published pandering to the prepubescent crowd. And then... something happened to cause the dominant freight train of Saturday mornings to come to a screeching halt! And now part two from http://www.memorabletv.com/tvsgreatesthits/archies.htm

But the series took an unexpected plunge in popularity with The U.S. of Archie made in 1974. Designed as a mingling of history with entertainment, it found the gang going back in time in such plots as working with Harriet Tubman on the Underground Railroad for slaves during the 1800s. Such serious concerns were off-kilter for the normally light series, and it disappeared from Saturday mornings in 1975. Its last season on CBS consisted of U. S. of Archie repeats. NBC tried repeats of earlier shows in 1977 under the ride The Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show, but it flopped too.

Nearly a decade later, NBC gave the property another try under the title The New Archies. The characters became prepubescent in this instalment, with a few modifications made for the properties to accommodate the 1980s. Some were substantial (Eugene the egghead and Amani the nice girl finally integrated previously lily white Riverside), others were subtle (Pop's Chok'lit Shoppe was now Pop's Video Cafe). Even Hot Dog became an English terrier. The emphasis remained on jokes and hijinks, but without the music and peppy atmosphere, this edition looked decidedly inferior to the earlier cartoon. There were two stories used in each show, and the 1988?89 season consisted of repeats.

Besides the comic book and cartoons, there was a radio sitcom titled Archie Andrews on Mutual from 1943-44 and NBC from 1946-53. Additionally, ABC commissioned unsold sitcom pilots for the show in 1962 and 1976, and there was a lousy live-action NBC TV movie in 1990 titled Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again, starring Christopher Rich as Archie, in which the characters appeared in middle age.

Archie Animated: The Man Behind the Music

2011-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Continuing in our last installment of the animated Archies series, which began in the late 60's, we present the man behind the redhead that became a cult classic... Ron Dante. This from the Classic Bands website:

The Archies were a bubblegum pop group that had a #1 hit, appeared frequently on Saturday morning television, and put out three hit albums. However, despite this success they never did any live performances or touring. Why? Because they were cartoon characters.

The Archies began their animated lives when The Archie Show debuted on Saturday morning in September of 1968. Each episode featured a song and dance segment performed by the characters. The show’s music was supervised by Don Kirshner, the man who put together the music for The Monkees. Kirshner tapped veteran pop producer Jeff Barry to put together the snappy, kid-friendly songs The Archie Show needed.

The Archies’ songs were also issued as singles. The first one, “Bang-Shang-A-Lang,” was a #22 hit on the pop charts and got the band off to a good start. But it was a song released the next year that won the animated band its biggest success. “Sugar Sugar” was an infectious tune built on rich boy-girl harmonies and a catchy instrumental hook played on the xylophone. It went to #1 in the summer of 1969, selling six million copies and knocking The Rolling Stones off the top of the charts in the process. The group also enjoyed another Top 10 hit in 1970, with "Jingle Jangle", before "bubble-gum" music gave way to disco.

The group is also notable for the singers who provided the voices of The Archies, all of whom went on to successful careers. Ron Dante, who sang all the lead vocals, went on to sing other bubblegum hits like “Tracy” and produced most of Barry Manilow’s chart successes in the seventies. Ellie Greenwich and Toni Wine, the female vocalists, enjoyed lengthy careers as a songwriter and session vocalist, respectively. Another backup singer, Andy Kim, had a #1 hit in 1974 with a solo song, “Rock Me Gently.”

Archie Animated: The Start of a 60's Cult Classic!

2011-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Following on last weeks (admittedly) extensive review of the limited amount of animated appearances by characters formerly of Charlton Comics, we now turn our attention to Mighty MLJ's cartoon output...

...if you are listening to crickets churp, its because none of the superheroes in the Mighty MLJ stable ever made the jump to the big screen, in that format. Or much of any aside from marketing purposes for the ill-fated Mighty Crusader action figure line. However, that publisher's bread and butter, the Archie franchise, made a serious impact. So without further adieu, we consider the impetus of a nationwide sensation beginning in 1968. From Memorable TV Dot Com:

The number one cartoon of 1968?69 by a huge margin, The Archies had success beyond its ratings: it revived interest in the Archie character, which had been seen in comic books since 1941; it showed the appeal of silly jokes, teenagers, and music to the Saturday morning audience, a mix which would be much copied in the 1970s; and it even generated an international hit single.

The shows format changed considerably over the years, but most incarnations featured amiable Archie Andrews as nominal leader of a clique in fictional Riverdale High, where Mr. Weatherbee was the principal. His cohorts were vain, rich Veronica, who had an exaggerated Southern drawl in the cartoon; egocentric Reggie, who often fought Archie for the attention of Veronica; down-to-earth blonde Betty, whom Archie should have been pursuing; Jughead, the skinny yet always hungry sidekick of Archies; and Hot Dog, the group mutt. They rode around in Archies jalopy and hung out at Pops Chok'lit Shoppe.

In the first two seasons (titled officially The Archie Show in 1968-69 and then The Archie Comedy Hour m 1969-70), interspersed between brief sketches involving the gang were musical numbers with flashy color backgrounds having the characters show off the "Dance of the Week" and sing new songs. (A character introduced here got her own show in 1970; see Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.) More significantly, for the first time, there was a concerted effort to make some of the shows tunes hits on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

DCAU: Animated Question

2011-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

courtesy of http://dcanimated.wikia.com/wiki/Question

The Question was a superhero and a member of the Justice League after the Thanagarian invasion. He was known for his "crackpot"^[2] conspiracy theories and brilliant deductive skills. He used a special flesh-colored mask that covered his face, along with a special yellow gas^[3]^[4] could change the colors of his hair and clothing. The Question was possibly the most unconventional superhero ever to join the organization. He was a paranoid investigator who, by his own admission, shamelessly went through everyone's trash,^[3] drove a car with no license plates,^[1]^[5] and believed there was an ominous conspiracy inherent to everything.

[show]

History

Assignments

The Question assisted Supergirl and Green Arrow in uncovering the truth behind Supergirl's eerie dreams, leading him to Galatea, her evil clone. Although his teammates regard him as a nut for his over the top theories, such as the connections between boy bands and global warming, and the Girl Scouts and the crop circle phenomenon, the fact is that the Question delivers results. Therefore, Batman appointed him to find a link between Cadmus and Lex Luthor.^[3]

Flourishing Romance

While the Question was investigating, the Huntress approached him offering information on Cadmus, if he would help her track down Steven Mandragora, the man who killed her parents. Even though the Question knew she had nothing on the mysterious organization, he played along, simply because he was fond of the Huntress. The Question is incredibly perceptive, and he most likely investigated the background of every Leaguer, seeing as he knew everything about the Huntress before they met. After the Question dissuaded her from murdering Mandragora in front of his son, the Huntress took a liking to him, and they started dating.^[1]

Cadmus

With the help of the Huntress, the Question stole high-security files from a Cadmus terminal, in hopes of finding their link to Luthor. After cracking the files, he gained access to several classified information, namely Amanda Waller's simulations and everything about the Justice Lords. When the Question saw the security tape of Superman killing President Lex Luthor in the parallel universe,^[6] he became convinced that those events were predestined to happen in his own reality, considering the events that led up to that fateful moment, were also already unfolding. The Question saw how Waller's simulations predicted that a war between the Justice League and the government would result in Armageddon. So, he confronted Superman, who, in spite of assuring they would never fight the government, didn't reassure a much disturbed Question. So, he headed off to LexCorp, where he was determined to kill Luthor in order to prevent Superman from doing so. Seeing as he was a "well-known crackpot", the Question believed that his actions wouldn't affect the League's reputation, and was willing to commit that sacrifice to guarantee Superman's untainted legacy. However, he was thwarted by Luthor, who mysteriously exhibited superhuman strength and easily knocked him around. The Question was then taken under Cadmus custody, where Dr. Moon tortured him for the location of the stolen files.^[2]
He was finally rescued by Superman and the Huntress, who carried him out of the facilityafter a fight with Captain Atom. He was teleported to the Watchtower, where he recuperated with the Huntress on his side.^[4] Shortly after, when the Ultimen invaded the Watchtower, the Question mustered enough strength to knock out one Juice clone with a bedpan, promptly saving his love, the Huntress.^[7]
After full recovery, the Question kept going out with the Huntress and resumed his pursuit to uncover conspiracies. His latest discovery was that Baskin-Robbins has, not 31, but 32 flavors,^[8] contrary to general beliefs. Then Question answered the world-wide call to the entire Justice League when Darkseid invaded Earth, and managed to run over a few Parademons with his car.^[5]

Abilities and Equipment

Despite possessing no special powers or gadgets, the Question was a skilled martial artist,^[1]^[3] endowed with brilliant deductive skills and a genius intellect. He was also very skilled in the intimidation and interrogation of criminals, on par with Batman. His intimidation skills were derived from, at least in part, his featureless mask, which could be quite scary to an average person.^[3]
He always saw the clue everyone overlooked, and solved the conundrums he set himself out to investigate. The Question was always very suspicious of everything, and his inquisitive mind earned him a reputation of being paranoid and eccentric. Aside from his distinctive "faceless" mask and classic GTO, the Question used no notable equipment.

DCAU: Animated Captain Atom

2011-01-18T18:20:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of the DC Animated Wikia:

Captain Atom, real name Captain Nathaniel Adams, was a superhero and a member of the Justice League.

Appearances

When the Justice League extended invitations to the heroes of Earth following the Thanagarian Invasion, Captain Nathaniel Adams answered the call as Captain Atom, nuclear-powered soldier of justice. The Captain was one of the first new League members to be given an important assignment: investigating a radioactive accident in Chong-Mai, alongside Supergirl and John Stewart. Captain Atom's conduct as a US military officer was too uptight for the lighthearted heroes like Kara and Green Arrow, which at first caused some animosity between them.
In loco, they found that the origin of the distress was a walking nuclear superweapon that had gone haywire. Captain Atom attempted to drain its energies but it was overwhelming, and he was knocked out. He then blamed John Stewart's injury on Green Arrow's refusal to work as a team, which escalated the tension between the trio. Afterwards, Captain Atom offered himself to personally shove carbon rod dampers into the flaming giant's reactor, fully aware that if could endanger his own life.

The Atomic hero explodes.

This act of bravery gained the respect and admiration of both Green Arrow and Supergirl.

When Captain Atom was near the reactor, the creature shot him down, breaching his containment suit and causing him to blow up. Captain Atom was seemingly destroyed, much to the distress of fellow recruit Supergirl. However, following the deactivation of the machine by Green Arrow, Captain Atom's sentient energy was re-collected into his containment suit.^[1] The hero would quickly return to active duty. Captain Atom took part in several of the League's missions, namely the first line of defense against Amazo,^[2] the fight against Mordru,^[3] and the alien nanotechnologic invasion.^[4] His power was also essential to contain the radiation leak caused by Task Force X when they infiltrated the Watchtower.^[5]

Conflicting Allegiance

Captain Atom soon proved to be more than capable as a Justice Leaguer, and he quickly gained the respect and admiration of his colleagues, notably Superman, who selected the Captain as his partner while defending Metropolis from Mantis, a second-rate, would-be despot from Apokolips. However, immediately following this adventure Captain Nathanial Adams had his Air Force commission unexpectedly reactivated by General Wade Eiling at the behest of Amanda Waller of Cadmus and Lex Luthor.

The relentless hero with a profound sense of duty and patriotism.

Nathanial Adams was torn between his dual commitments, but his first oath of service had been to the United States military. Captain Atom stepped down from his Justice League duties and was soon ordered to stop Superman and the Huntress from taking the captive Question out of a Cadmus facility.^[6] He was compelled to fight Superman hand-to-hand, and by controlling red-sun radiation, Captain Atom managed to amplify the impact of his blows against the Kryptonian. However, though acknowledging Captain Atom's valiant effort, Superman merely made sure that Huntress and Question had time to escape before he was forced to incapacitate Captain Atom. Cadmus security arrived on the scene to assist the Captain, but Superman sternly warned them not to touch his fallen comrade: "He's Justice League." Superman then collected Captain Atom and took him to the Watchtower, where the Captain could recover under the watchful eye of the League's medical and science staff.^[7]

Captain Atom rejoined the League during the invasion of the Watchtower by Galatea and the Ultimen clones. He was able muster enough strength to blast a few clones while Supergirl fought Galatea.^[8] Thanks to the revelation that Lex Luthor and Brainiac had been manipulating both Cadmus and the Justice League, it seems apparent that Captain Atom was discharged from military service and allowed to rejoin the Justice League following Amanda Waller's involvement in the conflict between the League and the Luthor/Brainiac hybrid.^[9]

Captain Atom was last seen fighting against the forces of Darkseid during the intergalactic despot's massive invasion of Earth. The Captain survived the conflict, so it is logical to infer that Captain Atom remained with the organization following Darkseid's disappearance.^[10]

Powers & Abilities

Captain Atom was composed of living nuclear energy and had to be confined to his containment suit to interact with others.

The Captain possessed the abilities of flight up to speeds approaching mach 2,^[11] super strength, energy absorption and energy projection on a level sufficient to put up a decent fight against Superman himself, but was ultimately beaten into unconsciousness.^[7] He was highly resistant to injury, though he did seem to have physical limits. There was also a limit to the amount of energy he was able to absorb. It was occasionally difficult for Captain Atom to absorb large amounts of energy,^[1]^[6] and if he was unable to safely regulate his energy form or discharge the absorbed energies, he risked rupturing his containment suit (simply put: he would explode).^[1] A serious rupture could cause fatalities and property damage within a fairly large radius if Captain Atom did not move to a safe distance.

Captain Atom seems to be able to feel some level of pain and fatigue despite his apparent lack of a human body (Superman was able to defeat him using pure physical force, in spite of the fact that Captain Atom was using his ability to control red sun radiation as a weapon against Superman.)^[7]

Justice League Unlimited

"Initiation"
"The Return" ^(Cameo)
"The Greatest Story Never Told"
"Dark Heart" ^(Cameo)
"The Doomsday Sanction" ^{(Mentioned Only)}
"Task Force X"
"Clash" ^(Cameo)
"Question Authority"
"Flashpoint"
"Panic in the Sky"
"Divided We Fall" ^(Cameo)
"The Great Brain Robbery" ^(Cameo)
"Alive!" ^(Cameo)
"Destroyer" ^(Cameo)

Footnotes

1. ↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Justice League Unlimited, "Initiation"
2. ↑ Idem, "The Return"
3. ↑ Idem, "The Greatest Story Never Told"
4. ↑ Idem, "Dark Heart"
5. ↑ Idem, "Task Force X"
6. ↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Idem, "Question Authority"
7. ↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 Idem, "Flashpoint"
8. ↑ Idem, "Panic in the Sky"
9. ↑ Idem, "Divided We Fall"
10. ↑ Idem, "Destroyer"
11. ↑ Idem, "The Doomsday Sanction"

DCAU: Animated Blue Beetle

2011-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

A series highly acclaimed in the transition of comics to other media is undoubtedly the Justice League Unlimited franchise. While the series never found room to spotlight Ted Cord aka the Blue Beetle, the cartoon-to-comic transition did afford an appearance by this classic character alongside his latter-day partner, Booster Gold.

Truly, Beetle was the most successful of all the assimilated properties from Charlton, until DC tragically used him as fodder for a mega-event a few years ago. Here's hoping that the revolving door of "comic book deaths" applies with this classic character. To bad the Mighty MLJ creations haven't had a spin in this wonderful televised tapestry.

Another Rendition Falls by the Wayside

2011-01-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

Over the past year and a half, DC Comics has attempted to revitalize the concept of Archie's superhero properties by modernizing them. In essence, they did the same thing in 1985 when the then-defunct Charlton Comics sold their small stable of superheroes to DC, inserting them fictionally into their one world before folding them into a central Earth following the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

As a result, such heroes as Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question... and to a lesser extent others such as Sarge, Nightshade and Thunderbolt... received a renaissance in their characterization and status. That said, most of them fell by the wayside over the years, to be dusted off then trotted out to become the fodder for the next major crossover. See, they were not the core creations of DC, so this made them valuable not for their legendary status... which was minimal at best... but for their value as expendable items for a publisher daring to push the envelope ever further. And so, aside from momentary animated spotlights such as Captain Atom in Justice League Unlimited and the Blue Beetles in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, these distinctly different dudes debuting from Derby never truly reached the pulp culture consciousness of the public at large.

And so, we reconsider what lasting impact the newest incarnation of the Mighty Crusaders will have, aside from the meager readership that picked up their solo and team titles. Zilch, nada, none whatsoever. Because they were licensed and not outright purchased from Archie, such characters as the Shield, Web, Inferno, Fly Girl and so forth were only hinted at as existing in the DC Universe proper. Think about it, having these characters featured prominently in other mainstream titles would then cause the publisher a dilemma if those same titles were then reprinted later on, since the license would by then probably lapse and DC would have to pay a considerable fee to the rights for these characters. Hence, they were setup to fail, and will default back to their originator where they will languish aside from an annual appearance of a few of their number in an Archie title, where America's Turbulent Teens meet the Crusaders once more.

Which fate is worse? To have your characters sacrificial lambs for mega-events, or to have them in comic book limbo where their existence is marginalized at best?

Such is the dilemma for these characters loved by you and I...

Crossover Month: Heroic Hotheads

2010-12-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

If you were to do an inventory on all the secret (and not-so-secret) origins of heroes with fire-based powers, you'd see a common denominator. Most of them were the result of an accident, allowing the hero (or heroine) to not only project intense heat and gained immunity from their own flames.

Fireball was among the first of such characters, proceeded a couple years early by Timely Comic's Human Torch. While Torch was an android, allowing the reader to more easily accept his ability to cope with such temperatures, Fireball was fire fighter Ted Tyler bathed in an experimental chemical that mutated him into a heat-emitting hero. Decades later, the two-in-one hero Firestorm was composed of teen Ronnie Raymond and scientist Martin Stein, merged together by a nuclear plant accident. While his fire was more radioactive than other flame-based characters, Firestorm visually and conceptually is somewhat similar to Fireball. In a fair fight the younger hero easily out-classes his elder in both power and knowledge.

Crossover Month: Beetle Bash

2010-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

Abner Jenkins had much in common with Ted Kord, at least at the beginning. Both men were experts in machinery and each mechanized devices in the forms of beetles, allowing them to defy gravity and weaponry that stung their opponents. For Ted, this was incorporated into his flying vessel known as the Bug, while Abner created an armor instead.

However, their motives diverged from there, as Ted was avenging the death of a superhero while Abner wished to make himself a profitable supervillain. As a result, while Ted's Blue Beetle was a success, Abner's Beetle continued to fail.

Nevertheless, the Beetle under a new alias as Mach-IV joined several reformed villains to create a heroic team known as the Thunderbolts. Both on the same side of the law now, a teamup between these two would be interesting to say the least.

Crossover Month: Boy Buddies

2010-12-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

There are literally dozens of sidekicks just in the golden age of comics, alone, yet very few back then actually met other mighty mites. A rare exception was the Boy Buddies, aka Dusty the Boy Detective and Roy the Super-Boy! Even though their padres never much hung out with one another, this pair had a budding relationship.

Poor Pinky the Whiz-Kid. Why? Well his name was...Pinky...the Whiz-Kid! Apparently, all the cool aliases had already been handed out (course he could've swiped one, like a certain Kryptonian brat of one of the buddies). And also, he seemed to be alone in the world of sidekicks on his world...unless you count young Mary and Cap Junior but they pretty much were standalone characters. It would've been neat had he have met a pair... like these two today!

Crossover Month: The Men of the Atom

2010-12-29T11:59:00.000-08:00

When little Al Pratt first appeared in 1940, the Atom was the tiniest known particle in nature that had near limitless potential. Al was merely a college student trying to protect himself and his girlfriend from bullies. After training, he became a human dynamo at the pinnacle of physical protection. When as the hero named the Atom he encountered the villain Cyclotron, Pratt's body became a sponge for the tholium energy his foe emitted. As a result, he was modeled after the atom bombs on 1945, gaining tremendous superstrength and an "atomic punch".

Before he would return for a new generation, another atom appeared on the scene in the form of Captain Atom, a soldier turned superhero thanks to an atomic accident. He too had atomic powered strength as well as flight and energy blasts that Cyclotron never passed on to Pratt. Were these two to have met in battle, the Captain may've won by shear power alone. But for heart and true grit, the original Atom would've taken him hands down.

Crossover Month: Heroic Hares

2010-12-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the golden age funny animal stelwart Marvel Bunny, the 1980's spawned DC Comics' Captain Carrot and the soon-to-be Archie Comics' Thunder Bunny. One an anthromorphic bunny on a parallel world occupied by talking animals, the other a human merging with the body of an anthromorpic alien world. While Rodney Roger Rabbit was dependent on ingesting super-charged carrots to regain his powers, Bobby Caswell found his super-hare body hard to get rid of when trying to regain his human form. The teen had to visualize his human form to regain it, Rodney's reverted to normal much to his dismay.

Cap C was a team player with his Amazing Crew while T-Bunny had a tenative at best relationship with his world's Mighty Crusaders. Nevertheless, each took what would seem to be a ridiculous appearance and comical adventures to show that a hero is measured, not by their exterior, but by their heart.

Crossover Month: Fleet-footed Furry Friends

2010-12-27T00:00:00.001-08:00

Now this is a race we'd like to see someday, between a neglected super-mammal and a video game legend. Everyone knows Sonic the Hedgehog, the fleet footed hero of the planet Mobius attempting to free his world from Doctor Robotnik's evil dominance. Things were a bit more easy going for Fastback and his Amazing Crew on parallel world Earth-C, perhaps so much so its easy to overlook him. Despite debuting nearly a decade before Sonic, Fastback lagged behind in notoriety.

Even more interesting then their superspeed abilities is the worlds in which these two resided, with interesting blends of animals interacting with one another in manners similar to humans yet distinctly different is substance. A crossover between these worlds would have immense story potential.

Crossover Month: Pranksters Unite!

2010-12-25T23:59:00.001-08:00

From a "B" class Superman villain to a "C" class Charlton hero, the name Prankster doesn't exactly inspire mythos nor legends. Still, the premise is the same, a regular guy who through the use of gag gimmicks is able to level the playing field between himself and his opposition.

Oswald Loomis, the original Prankster, went toe-to-toe with the Man of Tomorrow several times throughout the decades... with his punchlines always ending up flat. In the late 60's, another Prankster literally was a man of tomorrow, of a future era where arts and entertainment are quashed for conformity and order... with this unnamed man tried to shake things up.

Crossover Month: Jack of Spade vs Jack of Heart

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Card-themed heroes and villains are always fun, particularly when you mix and match the various suits to resonate story themes. Black Jack was an MLJ golden oldie with a simple origin: he was a cop that crooks thought they 86'd, turns out he was alive and wanted to beat the odds as the costumed Black Jack. The Jack of Hearts had a more convoluted origin at Marvel Comics, as the hybrid son of a human father and alien mother. Consumed with energy activated by a special fluid, he needed to wear a special suit to contain his power (shades of Human Bomb).

What would make this crossover terrific is by throwing in DC's Royal Flush Gang as the antagonists that are pair of Jacks have to unite to defeat! With the wildcard, Joker, pulling the strings!

Crossover Month: Men of Mystery Meet

2010-12-23T23:59:00.000-08:00

This is tops on the list of crossovers we'd love to see! Two men of mystery, avengers of the night, part-detectives part-martial arts masters (well, some incarnations of the Hood, anyway). Batman and Black Hood have so many points of similarity if you throw out the rich playboy alias of the former and the beat cop job of the latter.

Still, speaking of Matt Burland's career choice, it perfectly meshes with Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon... hence the choice of picture today. Now given, they live on parallel Earths. However, it perfectly reasonable Black Hood could infiltrate into Gotham P.D. as Matt to ferret out information to help his buddy Batman on a personal case. Maybe their old foes the Joker and the Skull teamed up to torment both worlds. Or their young apprentices, Dick "Robin" Grayson and Kip "Black Hood II" Burland. These two would definitely attempt to protect their legacies.

Crossover Month: Protectors of the Jungle

2010-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Black Panther really has untapped potential even after some modest runs with the Avengers and a few solo series through the decades. T'challa as the prince of a high-tech African nation while also its chief protector is loaded with possibilities.

One such scenario would be if he met the Phantom, they would make quite the one-two punch versus any poucher who invaded their turf!

Crossover Month: Colorful Crooks

2010-12-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

Of the many colorful cats we've introduced into this blog, none are more so than are Doctor Spectro of Charlton and Rainbow Raider of DC Comics. Both rogues and long-time adversaries of Captain Atom and the Flash, respectively. Each utilized technology allowing them to maniuplate emotions through colors they project, as well as more solidified attacks from this same energy. While Spectro was a disgruntled scientist transformed into a supervillain after exposure to his equipment, Raider was a color-blind artist embittered with his lot in life and exploiting the special goggles his father bequeathed him.

While neither were prolific in their number of appearances, they each made their mark while they were being showcased as potential real threats towards their foes... and towards the fashion world as well!

Crossover Month: Jim and Lucy....er Archie and Betty...huh?

2010-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Just imagine all of those 1960's Jimmy Olsen tales where he's in hot water with main squeeze Lucy Lane, and during the same era Archie Andrew's frequent foibles with a Ms. Betty Cooper. Red and Blond is a combustible combination, for sure.

Crossover Month: Pig-tailed Protagonists

2010-12-19T11:59:00.001-08:00

Somehow comic book artists got it in their head, maybe since the time of Dan DeCarlo, that when a female is first rendered with a specific hairstyle she is always sporting that look. Think Iris West before she married Barry "the Flash" Allen, she always wore it in a bum. Or Janet VanDyne with her trademark short hairstyle which never wavered below the shoulders.

And these two lasses, Betty Cooper and Vicky Grant. Oh sure, they had the power to transform temporarily into superheroines and were both teens. But their defining trait was the ponytail look. Or in Vicky's case, her perpetual pigtails which she was never seen out of (until a goofy modern appearance). At least Betty shifted it from back to the sides to back again. Yawn.

Crossover Month: Martial Arts Masters

2010-12-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

It's really surprising that DC Comics never paired these two up in an adventure. Considering they both are schooled in the same areas of discipline, have a similar modus operandi, and each did a fair share of time traveling... it should've been no problem. After all, what's a few hundred centuries for fictional features like these, one born in the 1940's and the other in the 30th Century.

At least Karate Kid journey back to the 1970's for a brief period, and when last we saw Judomaster he had been shunted into 1986. Course, the Kid perished soon after returning to his native century, however an earlier incarnation may've been drawn into the past using a Legion time bubble to check out the original black belt whitey?

Crossover Month: Space Ghosts

2010-12-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

Space Ghost was a novel idea for a Saturday morning cartoon. An enigmatic apparently wealthy mastermind inventing various gadgets to battle menaces throughout the galaxy. Alas, the tired formula of always being outwitted by his opponents, and thus always dependent on salvation from a pair of sidekicks and his pet monkey was a bit worn out. Mind you, this is something the Super Friends played up for years with their Wonder Twins and Gleek.

The Ghost's history with Archie Comics was a sole issue published in 1997, while DC Comics picked him up for a half dozen more in 2005 with additional appearances prior to this in Gold Key and Marvel. How would the uber-serious SG stack up to his talk show host counterpart... you know they couldn't be the same character. Perhaps there is a Ghost patrolling every universe!

Crossover Month: The Captains of Space

2010-12-17T00:00:00.001-08:00

Poor Captain Comet, he debuted in an era when superheroes were passe. Had he have only been patient and wait until the late 1950s he could've been one of the premier characters in DC Comics. As it was, he was dug up decades later to be the protagonist for a series about a criminal team.

Captain Sprocket didn't fare much better, nor should he have. Ill defined and played up for comic effect solely, he was more of a caricature than a character. Sure he seemed to have cool gadgets like Comet, but not much in the way of head knowledge to use them effectively.

This crossover would be doomed to failure right from the start, as Comet would return to space after seeing how humanity has remained fairly dense since he departed it years ago.

Crossover Month: Chewing Chums

2010-12-15T23:59:00.000-08:00

Its doubtful that there are two character that would get along better than Jughead Jones and Dagwood Bumstead. Okay, aside from Dagwood's love for his wife Blondie, which Juggie just wouldn't get at this point in his character development (if ever), the two share a much deeper love.

Imagine, if you will, Mr. Bumstead making one his legendary Dagwood Sandwiches for the lad. This would be an experience that would exceed any other in Jones' life! And they both get plenty annoyed with nosey busybodies like Veronica Lodge and door-to-door salesmen.

And yes, before you ask why Dagwood... he appeared in 46 issues of Blondie published by Charlton Comics from 1973 to 1976.

Crossover Month: Brutal Brunettes

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

You can't get much more coarse during the silver age of comics than these two ladies. Already crowned as the primary love interests of their generation's biggest stars in hero and teen comics, Veronica Lodge and Lois Lane always had a paranoia about them when main rivals Betty Cooper and Lana Lang came knocking. Meanwhile, Archie and Superman reaped the benefits of such adoration while continually having to reaffirm their love for these high-maintenance gals.

Could they have been related somehow? Their tenacity, cutthroat demeanor and intoxicating allure on men was near unmatched among their contemporaries. Good thing they never met.

Crossover Month: What's Bugging Lana?

2010-12-13T23:59:00.000-08:00

Poor Lana, she is the second most jilted lass in all of comics next to Betty Cooper. Always the bridesmaid and such. She just happened to know Superman from the days of his youth when she fawned after the Boy of Steel, back in the pre-Lois days when all he knew was Miss Lang. She even adopted a heroic alias as Insect Queen, and still he wasn't impressed, although his alias Clark Kent did date her as an adult for awhile.

Maybe what she needs is Archie... ah yes we know he is the King of Fickleness. Still, maybe she has what all his other gals lacked, a Je ne sais quoi unmatched by others. And he meets one of your requirements, at least when dressed up as Pureheart the Powerful.

Crossover Month: Marvelous Marys

2010-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Doesn't sound like Mary Andrews is to pleased that dimension-traveling Mary Jane Watson is trying to pickup little Archie. Maybe she knows that MJ is on the rebound from a certain webhead she seems to have forgotten lately.

Does Mary have someone else in mind for her only son? Stay tuned...

Crossover Month: Thunderbolts Squared

2010-12-11T23:59:00.000-08:00

Two more different individuals you could not find than Johnny Thunder and Peter Cannon. Peter is Mr. "I can do it. I must do it. I will do it!" while Johnny is Mr. "Say You". One had his powerful Thunderbolt handed to him with relative ease, the other dedicated his life from youth onward to become Thunderbolt. John has tremendous power but not the wisdom to use it appropriately, Pete is able to accomplish seeming miracles though a mortal man.

Imagine the power of Johnny's Thunderbolt controlled by Peter Cannon! It staggers the imagination, although it would probably not make for a good comics series.

Crossover Month: Self-Made Men of Might

2010-12-11T00:00:00.001-08:00

And straight from the "B" league of supermen-wannabees are Steel Sterling and Doc Samson. Two scientists who jury-rigged their equipment to gain superhuman strength and durability, in part thanks to radiation the ultimately comes from the sun.

While Samson was always a supporting character for his more powerful contemporary and inspiration, the Hulk, Sterling was a man-unto-himself never depending on others' fame to elevate his own status. As such, Steel is much more prominent in his universe than is Doc in his. However, were these two men to ever meet, they undoubtedly would get along swimmingly after initial fisticuffs had already ensued.

Crossover Month: Damsels of Darkness

2010-12-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

Several characters are connected to a "darkforce" capable of casting darkness over matter in this universe, siphoning it from an adjacent dimension. Two of these individuals were Eve Eden and Laynia Sergeievna Petrovna, heroines with strong attachments to their brothers and ties to their governments as special agents.

Eve as Nightshade and Laynia as Darkstar had brief careers wherein they interacted with a some American heroes and had slight romantic sparks with Captain Atom and Iceman, although this didn't amount to anything substantial.

The ability to cast your enemies in the dark, to teleport from one place to another, and the courage to stand up to the forces of darkness aptly describe our heroines today.

Crossover Month: Quintessential Quartets

2010-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

This crossover has it all: The main man, his "sis", his best buddy, and his worst enemy. And if we threw in arch-foes Doctor Sivana and Mad Doctor Doom, we'd have the requisite bald bad guy present as well.

Theoretically, if Fawcett had transformed the aliases of the Marvel Family into teen icons like Archie, Betty, Jughead, etc, perhaps they would've had more staying power. And had Archie Comics incorporated the Pureheart brand of characters into the main series that have thrived for decades, perhaps they would have created an environment that allowed their MLJ heroes to thrive instead of being banished into obscurity.

Crossover Month: Jetpack Jockeys

2010-12-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

Jet packs, laser blasters, intellect, beautiful sidekicks, alien intrigue. This is a crossover that would've been worth seeing.

Both Adam Strange and Peacemaker were thinking man's heroes, they had high tech gadgets but often they had to use their minds in battle which made them their greatest weaponry. While Peacemaker didn't do the planetary hopping Strange did, he faced his share of non-human rogues like the subterranean shape-changers and such. So he'd fit right in on Rann, maybe swapping places with Adam who temporarily protects Earth-Four from evil.

Crossover Month: Dog-Gone Shame of it All

2010-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

On the surface, this could have the makings of the World's Finest Team, doggie style. After all, a Dog of Steel in Krypto and detective in Scoobie on the surface mimics the formula which makes Superman and Batman work so well. However, Scoobie's cowardice does not befit a darknight dog. What is truly amazing, however, is that his 1975 run in Charlton Comics which took over from Gold Key Comics was a substantial seller for a few years. And poor Krypto isn't even given his own title, only odds and ends backup features here and there. Maybe he needed the marketing arm of Hanna Barbera to get him in the public eye?

Crossover Month: Animal Men Unite!

2010-12-05T23:59:00.000-08:00

One debuted in 1961 under his own title for fifteen issues plus several backup tales in other magazines and a crossover with another hero, the other appeared in 1965 then resurfaced four more times in the silver age. Yep, Jaguar was far more successful, probably because Archie Comics was fishing for the next new hero. Animal Man was simply another character created to fill a series losing readership at DC Comics.

These two, while remarkably similar in adopting powers of animals thanks to exposure to energy from out-of-this-world. Yet A-Man's limitation of needing to be near an animal to keep his power meant his tales were one-note and limited the credibility of his access to such abilities. Jaguar, on the other hand, had limitless potential, except that his publisher mainly focused on teen comics not heroes.

Crossover Month: Mirthful Menaces of Mites

2010-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Charlton's master of mirth meeting DC's cruel crime clown would be an epic battle. Which would win such a duel? Ronald's Happy Meal toys vs the Joker's treacherous toys of terror?

Further, how would Ronald stack up against Batman? Or the Joker versus Hamburgler (wait, scratch that) or versus Grimace. Purple purple everywhere!

Seriously, only Charlton could have produced a licensed series in 1971 about a restaurant mascot who, coincidentally, looks nothing like the original on his comic book covers. A memory best left forgotten, it would seem.

Crossover Month: Battling Boxers

2010-12-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

Tabu versus Wildcat.

East meets West.

These two stood in the shadows of fellow heroes for years. Would they make the grade on their own?

With Wildcat: yes! With Tabu: nah he's a perpetual sidekick. Or, if you will, while Wildcat was a frequent ally of Batman in Brave and the Bold, often on equal footing with the Caped Crusader, Tabu is a younger Alfred. Always a trust confidant but not much in the way of a crime fighter.