A comic review focusing on storytelling, art, and theology.
(This review was written before the Crisis of FCBD3 and does not adhere to the rules established in the Blog Resurrection. Instead of rewritting the post, I decided to publish it in its former glory.)
(This review was written before the Crisis of FCBD3 and does not adhere to the rules established in the Blog Resurrection. Instead of rewritting the post, I decided to publish it in its former glory.)
July 1973
COVER GRADE: D
Penciler: Nick Cardy
I have a hard time believing Nick Cardy drew this cover because of how bad it is. At a quick glance it has a fun theme, but it doesn't even mention the stories inside besides the main characters. The kids sitting in the stoop are all a little creepy looking. The dog is accidentally standing on the boys foot. Shadows don't line up. The whole right side is just blank yellow which makes no sense because the left side shows a crowded inner city.
I do however like the clean, simple drawing of Superman although the cover is normally where you show off all the complex details.
STORYTELLER'S GRADE for "The Last Moa on Earth": F
Writer: Cary Bates
PLOT:
In the jungles of New Zealand, a twelve foot tall ostrich-like bird charges at hunter Jon Hallaway. Instinctively he kills the bird with one shot only later to discover that he has killed what may be the last moa, long since thought to be extinct for over 500 years. Filled with regret Hallaway searches for the moa's nest, correctly deducing that the female was protecting an egg. Hallaway takes the egg from the nest located on strange smelling, hot underground spring to Metropolis in hopes of hatching the egg and allowing scientists to devise a way to artificially reproduce moas. Clark Kent mets Hallaway during his arrive at the Metropolis airport looking for an exclusive interview. Hallaway invites Kent along for the ride to escort the egg, but Kent insists on driving because of how exhausted Hallaway looks. En route, Hallaway passes out right as the moa egg mysteriously hatches. The moa breaks out of the back of the car, throwing it off balance, and crashing it into a lake. Once underwater, Kent changes into Superman and takes Hallaway to the Metro-Clinic due to his rapidly declining health. At the clinic Superman, with the help of a doctor, deduces that an organic link between the moa and Hallaway that is sapping away Hallaway's life energy. Superman locates the moa and discovers that the organic link to Hallaway is an attempt to find its nest. After a brief struggle with the super-powered moa, Superman returns the prehistoric bird to its nest in New Zealand. The moa is happy to be home, and Hallaway is instantaneously healed. Superman builds a moa preserve around the nest much to the delight of the moa and Hallaway.
GRADE:
This issue begins a format change in Action Comics to now include three stories. That means that the Superman story has gone from 15 pages to 10 to make space. Oddly enough, even though the story is shorter, it feels longer. Too many odd things are happening that are never even attempted to be explained. An extinct bird that is found to actually exist is far fetched, but reasonable. However then the odd creature is the bird equivalent of Superman (see Excessive Use of Force below) without any reasoning given its existence or powers. Then, at every turn, Superman just knows the plot point/solution with little to no evidence to get him there. He just knows. There's just never a reason to connect with anyone or anything going on.
ARTIST GRADE for Superman: D+
Penciler: Curt Swan, Inker: Frank Giacoia
It's not that the art is bad. It's just that it's not good. Plus it's completely forgettable. I saved the best stuff for the Excessive Use of Force section.
One interesting note is that Curt Swan drew a Metropolis that looks an awful lot like New York City.
STORYTELLER GRADE for "13 Old Men Who Run the World": C
Writer: Elliot Maggin
Lawyer Jean Loring meets her fiancée, Ray Palmer, at a seedy diner by the railroad yard. Later that day at that railroad yard she will meet Brad Phillips, and underworld character, claiming to have evidence that her client, Dr. Hans Selzheim, has been framed for stealing a ton of gold bullion from Fort Knox. The prosecution claims that Selzheim is a part of a secret organization of 13 men trying to ruin the world. In the middle of their conversation, Palmer's size-control malfunctions shrinking into his alter ego, the Atom. He clicks the size-control again to revert to his normal size quick enough to prevent Loring from discovering his secret.
Later that day, Palmer goes to check on Loring at the railroad yard after not hearing from her for too long. Upon arrival, Palmer finds Phillips, the informant Loring was supposed to meet. Philips is being attacked by two men. Palmer transforms into the Atom and makes quick work of the assailants while Phillips disappears. Palmer, back to normal size, is looking for Phillips when a third assailant knocks him out from behind.
Palmer awakes tied up in a room with Loring (also bound), his assailant, and crime lord Declemente looking over them. Palmer is unable to reach his size-control device to escape. Declemente requests Loring and Palmer's assistance with framing Selzheim, but when they refuse, Declemente orders their execution. Palmer stalls for time having figured out his size-control malfunction is tied to the sound waves emitted by a new clock installed in Ivy Town that whistles at noon and 6. Declemente is explaining that the "13 Old Men who control the world" are just an invention of his organize crime ring to divert attention as 6 o'clock strikes. The size control triggers allowing the Atom to surprise and subdue Declemente and his henchman. The Atom frees Loring before turning back into Palmer. When Lorning asks Palmer how it all happened. Palmer responds "Magic...You know what they say, a magician never reveals his secrets." Loring asks who are 'they.' Palmer responds, "The 13 Old Men who make trite remarks."
GRADE:
An average story with a thin plot that provides a minor enjoyment. It was nice to see a new character join the Action Comics stable that has potential to make for an interesting story, but it's just not there yet.
ARTIST GRADE for The Atom: C+
Penciler/Inker: Dick Dillin/Phil Zupa
The art was basic but solid with no glaring complaints. The panel layout was very generic which makes the entire story feel less dynamic.
On the negative, Declemente was a Marlon Brando/Don Corleone ripoff that looked a little funny. Unsurprisingly, The Godfather premiered the previous year.
On the positive I enjoyed the artwork showing the size changes with the orbiting rings like an atom. It's a great single panel way to show a very complex action.
STORYTELLER GRADE for "The Short-Walk-to-Disaster Contract": A
Writer: Len Wein
Clause #1: "I have a cousin in the business..." (Meaning part 1 of 2)
PLOT:
Luigi, restauranteur and landlord to Christopher Chance a.k.a. The Human Target, approaches his friend to pose as his cousin Antonio. Antonio is a part owner of a circus. His business partner wanted to sell, but Antonio refused. Antonio insists that the circus with succeed if Antonio can successfully tightrope walk across Niagara Falls. The partner doesn't believe he can complete the feat so Antonio bets his share of the circus that he will succeed. Soon after two "accidents" have occurred nearly killing Antonio. Luigi believes that the partner is behind the accidents after realizing his potential loss if Antonio does succeed. Luigi and Chance visit Antonio to discuss the Human Target taking the place of Antonio, but Antonio refuses. Chance, firm to his prearranged contract with Luigi, knocks out Antonio and assumes his identity.
Chance, as Antonio, is checking the top of the high wire rigging when a solid oak Indian club knocks him off the wire. Chance properly adjusts himself in midair to fall into the safety netting below. The assailant escapes while Chance gives chase through the carnival rides outside the circus tent. The assailant starts shooting at Chance as he ducks into a carousel. Chance finally corners the man only to discover that the assailant is Antonio. Antonio yells, "I said nobody would replace me and I meant it!" The issue ends in a cliffhanger with Antonio holding Chance at gunpoint.
GRADE:
Short and sweet with action, humor, snappy dialog and a surprise ending. My only complaint is that the cliffhanger of Chance being held at gunpoint isn't very ominous to the skills of the Human Target, but the setup was more about the reveal of the assailant being Antonio.
I love the back and forth between Chance and Luigi seasoned with humor. And Luigi's reaction when Chance knocks out his cousin to forcibly fill in for him.
Perhaps best of all, the story is only 6 pages. Great stuff packed into a small space.
I'm excited to find out what's next!
ARTIST GRADE for Human Target: A+
Penciler/Inker: Neal Adams/Dick Giordano
Another showcase of beauty in comics. I love the simple details and dynamic action.
Page 1. Simple panels with no backgrounds to put the sole focus on the great action as Chance spars with the sensei. Too often in comics it can be difficult to tell the flow of complex movements but here the artists use a whole page to detail it perfectly. I love the trademarked bullseye background on the title panel. This could be an awesome poster.
Page 2. Now the panels disappear as Luigi tells the story in flashback. It looks great with a surprisingly easy to read flow all the while economizing a dialog that might otherwise have taken 2 pages!
Page 4. If you can't tell, I'm a fan of transitional action in a single panel and I love the transition of Chance impersonating Antonio. But the best part of the panel is the overlapping sequence of Chance getting hit and falling from the high wire. A single picture of the full tent is paneled off to highlight the action against the unchanging background.
THEOLOGY GRADE: B
These stories have a common theme of "no good deed goes unpunished." The hunter trying to save the last moa almost dies in the process. The Atom attempting to help out a suspect almost dies in the process. The Human Target forcibly tries to protect a man who turns out to be the assailant...and almost dies in the process.
While "no good deed goes unpunished" is not in the Bible, the principle of doing good deeds that are poorly received or perhaps aggressively rejected should be an expectation of all Christians.
1 Peter 2:21-25 NLT
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
This is a crazy idea. Do good even when people make you suffer for it. Why? That's goes against common sense of learning from your mistakes. You tried to be good and now you can just leave it alone, right?
That sounds reasonable until you take a step back to look at the bigger picture. Why did Jesus choose to suffer even though He did nothing wrong? Because as a result of His sacrifice we can now be at peace with God. He suffered because we were lost 'sheep' that didn't know any better than to react with anger and violence. We can have the same influence on those around us now that we follow God.
Matthew 5:43-48 NLT
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Now that's a pretty tall order, but why does God expect it of Christians? Because that's how we will reach other people with the good news that God loves them. When they see the amount of love we show regardless of circumstances or return, they'll want a piece of it. Of course some people take longer than others to understand. And some people have had the wrong picture of God for so long that it will take a while to get back on track. But deep down everyone wants to be loved and excepted. God decided to show people how much He loves them one person at a time through their example of love that He first showed us.
A good deed that gets rewarded is quickly forgotten, but a good deed that gets punished can leave a positive impact for eternity.
EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE:
That bird has the following powers:
(1) ages to adult size within hours of hatching
(2) the ability to shoot off razor-sharp feather
(4) organically link to people to read their mind
(5)it can shed it's legs to escape capture while instantly growing new fully formed legs.
How did this moa gain such powers?
Swamp gas. Be careful out in those swamps, kids!
DEAR EDITOR (seen in #429):
Nothing too note worthy in the letters this go round. I do appreciate that DC includes negative reviews instead of only yes-men. I was a little sad to see Richard compare the bad Superman story to Captain Marvel (now Shazam) who is perhaps my favorite superhero, but it's odd to think that if C.C. Beck drew this story for Captain Marvel I may have liked it better because this is closer to what the Big Red Cheese does. But when Superman does it, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.