New Gods #4



The story begins with Metron and young Esak observing a primitive planet, in the Mobius Chair.



After watching things for a bit, they return to New Genesis, where Highfather announces that one of their kind has fallen in battle. We cut to Earth, where the body of a New God has been fished out of the water. Orion and Dave Lincoln (still in plainclothes) arrive and Orion identifies the body as that of Seagrin, one who favored the oceans.



Orion laments that he was a gentle warrior, who found harmony in the seas. Mother Box detects that he was killed there. Orion performs a last service, using Mother Box to summon the Source to consume the body of Seagrin, in a boom of thunder and fire. As they depart, we see the Black racer fly through, then follow him back to the apartment of Willie Walker, where he resumes the catatonic state of the wounded soldier. We cut to Darkseid, observing from the shadows as Kirby makes a statement about war...



Orion returns to Dave Lincoln's apartment and tells the group they are now O'Ryan's Mob and that they are taking the fight to Inter-Gang. He uses Mother Box to share information and they see a man named Snaky Doyle, who is thinking about a "jammer." Either this is what hides Darkseid's minions from Mother Box or the man is a fan of roller derby. The group tails Snaky and grabs him and force him to reveal where Inter-Gang is. Thebluff their way in, though Inter-Gang is ready. A ganglord, named Country Boy, reveals the jammer, after making an example of Snaky.



Orion appears, in his Astro-Force Harness and destroys the jammer. Now, Mother Box can trace the assassins who killed Seagrin. He identifies him as Slig, leader of the Deep Six. Orion plunges into the ocean and takes the fight to Slig, who retaliates by mutant oceanic plant life, to attack orion. orion is barely able to reach his activator and destroy the mutated plant with the Astro-Force. he's free, but shaken and witnesesses the Deep Six's secret, which we have to wait for the next issue to see.

The issue ends with a back-up story of Manhunter, from the Simon & Kirby debut on the feature, in Adventure Comics #73. This reprint has been altered so that the hero is called Paul Kirk, even though he was named Rick Nelson, in the original comic. Kirby would revisit this character in a couple of years, at First Issue Special.

This is the beginning of the series kicking into high gear and focusing more on the war between Apokolips and New Genesis. The Inter-Gang stuff and O'Ryan's Mob is a bit distracting, though it does set up the confrontation. The scene of Seagrin being pulled from the water is effective and hammers home the cost of war. The ending tells us big steaks are building. Darkseid's moment, which feels a bit like it was shoehorned in, is one of Kirby's more profound statements, reflecting his experiences in the war. It also establishes Darkseid as a far deeper character than your average villain. Across the 4th World titles we see him as the heart of Apokolips; but, rarely the prime actor. He has lesser beings for that. He is ruthless, yet has a nobility and a code. he uses vile agents, like Granny and Desaad, yet despises them and their petty tortures and horros. He has respect for his opponents, especially Orion. we've had hints of their relationship; but, they haven't been fully revealed, yet.

This serves as a nice Act break, from the introductory phase to the building of the epic moments and backstory. From now on, things get real.

Jimmy Olsen #139 and 141

GOODY RICKLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



What the heck?

Mark Evanier tells the story of this one, in the afterward of the 4th World Omnibus, vol 2. He and partner Steve Sherman, who worked as assistants to Kirby, were given the task to come up with an idea. They hit upon the idea of Don Rickles making a cameo in Jimmy Olsen, delivering a few quick insults to Superman, then departing. That was it. they cooked up some jokes, based on Rickles style. Sherman got in touch with Rickles publicity agent, who checked with the man, who said okay. The Rickles camp didn't think much of it; but, whatever. DC thought a lot of it and a cameo turned into a featured appearance. DC hoped that Rickles would publicize it. He didn't. Out went the jokes, in came Goody rickles, Don's twin. Wha??

Our story opens with a medical exam of the Guardian. He is given the okay to go into the outside world, with Superman and Jimmy Olsen. The Newsies have to stay behind, since Gabby has a cold and their "fathers" are worried about experimental viruses. Olsen, Supes and the man in the blue and yellow head out the Zoomway, where they see the destruction wrought by the four-armed terror. The Habitat is all but demolished and the area devastated. Supes takes off, so he can beat them to Metropolis and change into Clark Kent. Olsen returns to tell Clark the story of his adventures.  Morgan Edge returns to hear about negotiations with Don Rickles and is reminded of staff member Goody Rickles, a look alike. Edge wants to get rid of him, so as not to upset the negotiations and lets him take an assignment that would have been Clark's. Goody Rickles fawns over him, the complete antithesis pf Don Rickles.



While Goody heads out on his assignment, Clark and Jimmy arrive at Morgan Edge's office. they see the assignment slip for Goody and head out to a UFO sighting, expecting trouble. They find the UFO and Goody emerges, telling Clark to get lost. Clark goes inside the UFO and does just that, as it disappears. A gang of thugs comes on the scene and attacks Jimmy, Goody and the Guardian. A fight ensues, where Goody takes out a few, accidentally.



The rest of the gang and Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim arrive and take them prisoner. Mannheim checks in with the boss, Morgan Edge, who says get rid of them. He takes them to his place, feeds them, then shows the food is combustible and that they will burst into flames in 24 hours. he then dumps them back in Metropolis.

This is just goofy. The Rickles stuff is silly fawning, while everyone reacts. However, Kirby has fun with the physical comedy, especially in the fight scenes. There is a subplot of the Newsies escaping, with the help of one of the mini-Scrapper troopers, with more physical comedy involving the kids. Quite frankly, I could have done with more of them and less of Rickles and Inter-Gang.

Issue 140 was a special giant-size reprint and the story picks up in #141. We see where Clark ended up, as we get another Kirby collage and Lightray. That is followed by our booby-trapped trio panicking about what to do next. The Guardian sends Olsen and Rickles to seek help at GBS, while he chases down Inter-Gang's vehicle, via some Captain America-style roof-running. Parkour ain't got nothin' on Kirby!

Meanwhile, the real Don Rickles arrives and is mobbed by staffers who want autographs and to be insulted. While this goes on, Jimmy and Goody are riding the subways, where Goody is talking a mile a minute and irritating passengers. in a twist, they hurl insults at Rickles and he starts to lose his cool and is literally steaming. The scene shifts to the Guardian, who catches up with Inter-Gang and starts kicking glutei, trying to find the antidote. Back at GBS, Olsen and Goody show up and the two Rickles meet, with much bad comedy and Don is kicked out of the room by Morgan Edge, as Jimmy and Goody are reaching flashpoint. The Guardian smashes through the window, where Rickles is waiting and gets the antidote to Jimmy and Goody. Don is reeling and goes to sit down, when a Boom Tube opens up behind him and spits out Clark Kent (thanks to Lightray). Rickles loses it and leaves with police bomb experts, believing he is going to explode and the insanity ends.



This is all just plain weird. What started out as a cameo, to get Don Rickles to insult Superman, turned into gonzo mayhem that leaves you wondering what was in Kirby;s cigar. Kirby can do the physical humor; but, the verbal stuff needed help and the whole thing is way off the wall. The interlude with Clark and Lightray is mostly exposition about Apokolips; but, the 4th World is way in the backseat on this one. Edge and Inter-Gang help keep its presence alive; but, it isn't the same as Darkseid or Simyan and Mokkari. By this point, the wonder is mostly over and we settle in on more mundane, if weird adventures. The 4th World would play out mostly in the other three books, from here on out, with a couple of dips back here, in Jimmy Olsen. However, before that happens, we get some monsters, as Jimmy and the Newsies meet up with a vampire and the Loch Ness Monster. Stay tuned.

New Gods #5



Our story opens with Metron exploring near the Final Barrier, giving us our first glimpse of the Promethean Giants.



He sails on and returns to New Genesis, while we return to Earth and meet police detective Dan "Terrible" Turpin, who is interrogating Dave Lincoln, about Orion. Turpin and his men came on the scene to arrest Inter-Gang and found weapons beyond belief, and people like Orion. He wants to know more. Lincoln doesn't have much to share and Turpin tells him not to leave town. Lincoln returns to his apartment and the group. They are all itching to get back to a normal life and depart, except Claudia Shane. She stays with Lincoln, to help Orion.

We find Orion, trapped in a giant clam shell, facing Slig, leader of the Deep Six. He demonstrates his power and remarks about the mutated creatures he and his cohorts have created, for Darkseid.  He leaves Orion alone, so he can use the Astro-Force to escape. He also tests the creations of the Deep Six. He comes across a giant harness, which held a monster he barely glimpsed, before. He goes off to search. Meanwhile, Turpin consults one of his men and hears about the Deep Six and Inter-Gang and finds it hard to believe; but, doesn't doubt it. He warns his other men not to take it lightly. Back at Dave Lincoln's he and Claudia confer about the risks they take, when they see a strange phenomena, like a storm. A boom tube appears and a figure emerges.



It is Kalibak, here to bring destruction to the Earthlings. While he rages, Orion tracks Slig and attacks him. Using the Astro-Force, he gets the better of him. He rips off his helmet and begins to destroy the creature's own version of a Mother Box, taunting Slig as he does so. He destroys the Mother Box, laughing at the fact it loved Slig. The feedback has caused Orion's true face to be revealed, which induces ironic laughter in Slig. He tells Orion that he is a mad animal and cannot win the war, as he can never tame his own beast within. Orion kills him and speeds away. On the last page, we get a glimpse of the monster and a promise of the epic confrontation to come.

The issue ends with a brief look at the Young Gods of New Genesis, featuring Fastback. It is a minor tale as Fastback races around with his friends, playing a flying game of "tag."  He is called to an end, to perform for Highfather, where his amazing voice stirs the great leader, though he admonishes him for not preparing and that he needs to brush up on passages. It is a small tale with little of consequence, other than to show the lives of the young on New Genesis. The comics of this point have extra pages, which Kirby must fill with such back-up stories. They don't have much bearing on the saga; at least, here. Mister Miracle will put them to greater use.

Things are starting to build. Orion is becoming more enraged and violent and we see his monstrous form. He and Slig are almost two sides of the same coin. Kirby shows that his heroes have flaws, like those of old myth.

I almost forgot our little bonus. Mister Miracle #5 also brings us the first tale of young Scott Free, on Apokolips.



Our story finds young Scott being punished by Granny, for letting prisoners to be interrogated escape. Scott laments that they look like him, but are weaponless. Granny tries to beat her lessons in him.



Scott is forced to run a gauntlet three times and is beaten mercilessly, then dumped back in his cell.



It is there he gets his first glimpse of life beyond Apokolips, via Metron.



This is just a short piece, just 4 pages; but, it shows us the horrors that Scott endured on Apokolips and why he escaped.  It reveals why he and Barda will never return to that subjugation and will fight to the death to remain free.

It is easy to find a parallel with the Hitler Youth, of Nazi Germany. Young boys were indoctrinated in Nazi propaganda and trained in the idea of Aryan supremacy. They became fanatical soldiers for Hitler, as they aged, filling the ranks of the Waffen SS and other units. When Germany found the Allies on her doorstep, the Hitler Youth, often only armed with a Panzerfaust rocket grenade (predecessor of the Russian RPG), fought like fanatical tigers. In many ways, they were the ancestors to the child soldiers we have seen in Africa, innocents ripped from their homes and brutally indoctrinated into becoming savage killers. Monsters are not born, they are created through systematic abuse. Kirby told us this 45 years ago. It was true then and true today. Scott was lucky. With the intervention of Metron and Himon, who we will meet later, he found freedom and became a living embodiment of it.

Not bad for 4 filler pages.

ps  the issue also features a reprint of Detective #76, from 1943, with the classic Simon & Kirby story "The Invasion of America," where the Boy Commandos meet up with the Newsboy Legion and The Sandman and Sandy. This Simon & Kirby crossover has their youngsters team up to fight off a Nazi invasion party and is filled with action and fun.

Jimmy Olsen #143



Can I just note that the Genocide Spray sounds like either an insecticide of a contraceptive aid? Man, imagine if Kirby had worked in advertising? Those would be some awesome commercials!

Supes and jimmy have found a small planetoid...



It turns out that dabney Donovan created this world and used orbiting movie projectors to create horror movie images in the skies, affecting the evolution of life on this planetoid, creating Universal monster people. The duo find coffins and Dragorin asleep in one. They are attacked by Lupek, then Frankenstein's monster, when Superman figures out that the coffins are how they transport from Transilvane to Earth, just as Dragorin awakes and blasts them with a microbomb.

Supes wakes up to an audience...



Who want to know where Donovan is, as they are about to crush Supes with steel spikes. Silly monsters, spikes are for humans! Supes busts free and confronts the monsters, who think he is a sorcerer. They think he is in league with Donovan, about to rain fire down on their world. supes tells them to take a chill pill and goes hunting for Donovan's lab, knowing it is near. He finds it, in time to see a demon dog fly out, about to unleash the Genocide Spray (thankfully, from the mouth, not elsewhere) on Transilvane. Supes stops it in time, saving the planet. The monsters head home and Supes and Jimmy dismantle the horror movie projectors and replace it with a showing of Oklahoma. So, the planet will evolve into a society of singing cowboys who like spelling bees (O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Oklahoma!)

While this silliness goes on, the Newsboys confront the killer of their friend and mentor and get physical, while the man is on the horn to Inter-Gang. he breaks loose and runs; but, Inter-Gang isn't happy about the ehat he has brought down and set off a booby trap, which crushes him under tons of rock. The Newsies don't shed a tear and head upwards, finding a manhole and nearly getting their heads torn off by a passing car. they are back in Metropolis and head for Suicide Slum.

Don't know why they did just do this as a separate story, as it tends to break up the Jimmy Olsen story and has no bearing on it. It wraps up the mini-plot of the murderer of Jim Harper, without really getting into it. Mostly, it just serves to get the Newsies into the outside world again.

There is a further back-up, about the Project, and the first DNAlien, who escaped, only to self-destruct. It's mostly page filler. Then, we get more classic S&K Newsboy Legion stories.

Again, goofy issue, little connection to the 4th World. jack is just playing in the Olsen sandbox. It's weird; but, it beats Jimmy being turned into turtles or going undercover as a woman. Well, maybe not that. Cross-dressing Jimmy is always cool! It does beat him masquerading as a magician, though.

New Gods #6



Business is about to pick up! the 4th World was amazing; now it gets epic!

The story opens with the Deep Six's monster whale attacking a ship...



It creates nothing but destruction in it's path. We see survivors on a raft, then orion emerges from the ocean. he takes the raft in tow and leads them to a massive wooden vessel, with a swathed figure on it. Orion uses the Astro-Force to burn away strands of steel-like kelp, revealing Lightray beneath. Our pair are reunited and catch up, while the humans try to get a word in. They are a millionaire and his daughter, and her conscientious objector husband. Lightray leads them inside, to find the organic creation that is directing the sea-going monster. Orion wants to destroy it; but, Lightray has a better idea. he manipulates light to change the atomic structure of the creature. It turns into a cube, in a stage between states. We wait to see what it will become.

Orion and Lightray scout ahead, while the Deep Six react to the loss of control over their monster. they dispatch Jaffar to investigate. back at the wooden vessel, the humans argue, as the olderman calls the younger a coward and remarks about his experiences in the war, at Normandy. The young man points out they are beyond that, when Jaffar emerges from the ocean. the old man is frozen in fear and the youth rises to the defense; but, is mutated into a metaloid form. Orion returns and attacks Jaffar with terrible ferocity. He destroys Jaffar and the New Gods take stock. The old man has lost his mind and is in a fantasy of Normandy. orion puts the woman on the flying harness and sends her to safety. Lightray places the fallen hero next to the changing creature. The pair prepare to face the Deep Six, as they attack.

Orion fights the monsters of Apokolips with no quarter, while seeing the old man tied to the ship's mast. It is an epic battle and the Deep Six pay for their atrocities. Lightray leads Orion away from the fray and shows him what is happening.

We cut to the Six and their monster, as they taunt the New Gods and prepare to attack. Then, we get the single greatest Kirby panel in history:



The changed device brings honor, heroism and the power of the Source to the horrors of Apokolips, which are devoured in flames of Kirby Krackle. Lightray leaves with Orion, leaving behind the surviving Old man, adrift on the remains of the wooden vessel.

This is pure operatic epic. We get battles that would stir Wagner, the mystical changing of a creation of evil into a weapon of light, and a viking funeral to end all viking funerals. This is The Glory Boat and there is no equal in comics. This is Kirby's masterpiece, the single greatest comic battle ever conceived and produced. And he will top it with the next issue. This is Kirby in full creative glory, showing why he was the KING!

Kirby was the Da Vinci of comics, the true creative force that was like no other. His mind conceived things that no other could fathom, yet they were steeped in the tales and myths of old. These are timeless sagas made new, and it took decades for the rest of comics to catch up. That is genius!

Mister Miracle #6



You know, I don't think Steranko would have been too comfortable with Kirby designing his escapes; they do look lethal!

Hokay, I promised you Funky Flashman and the Female Furies (awesome name for a band!) and, by Kirby, I'm going to deliver! Buckle up boys and girls, it's going to get wild, wild wild...



Our epic story begins at a dilapidated mansion where a mysterious figure stands silhouetted, along with his toady...



Read that copy at the top. This is Kirby's statement and it doesn't paint a pleasant picture. It sums up his feelings on a particular type. I'll come back to it later.

Our figure and his toady are waiting for their allowance, doled out via some secret method and dispensed via a statue's mouth. It's getting smaller, so our figure needs to make some quick cash. This is the Funky Flashman and the toady is Houseroy, who waits for his master to deed over the property, while he sucks up and scratches his back; literally. Again, I'll come back to it. Houseroy helps his master don his wig and beard, to take on a more suave appearance and appeal to the masses.



We cut to MM and Oberon, as Scott is strapped to a rocket sled and launched into oblivion. Does he make it out? Which book do you think this is? Of course he survives; he's Mister Miracle!. While Scott delights as Oberon frets, we see our Flashman having a confab with Barda, who has a gun. I suspect there were times Roz wish she had one, as well. Flashman is full of oily charm and fast talk; but, Barda isn't having it and gives a pretty blunt retort...



Remember kids; DON'T F--- With BARDA!!! Really, DC needs to put that on a t-shirt. Man, just fire your marketing folks and come talk to me!

Barda sees through Flashman and leaves the scene, as Scott and Oberon come in and Funky changes tactics. While he insults Oberon he schmoozes Scott, who is mostly amused. he talks total bollux; but, he actually is pretty good at promotion. More later. Barda goes up to take a bath and Kirby gives us another gift.



Bless you Jack Kirby! Barda contemplates life on the run and soon realizes her fears are justified, as she is attacked by Mad Harriet, then by Stompa. Spikes and boots meet strength and fists and Barda fights them off and the phase out. Scott and Oberon come running in to investigate the noise. Barda tells them what happened and Scott says they are going to stay on the move, as he has made a deal with Flashman to promote a tour. he figures Earth may be big enough for them to be lost; but, barda is wary and thinks Flashman may end up being a lightning rod for trouble.

The next day, Scott and Oberon rehearse escapes for Flashman, who marvels at them. Scott shows him Mother Box and his eyes light up. While this goes on a figure watches from the shadows. It is Lashina and she prepares to strike; but, Barda is there first.



What's our mantra kids? That's right!Barda has a catfight with Darkseid's kinky assassin and all that's missing is the right soundtrack...



Lashina phases out. Scott comes along and finds Barda resting, after the vicious fight. Scott feels he must stand and fight, lest others get hurt for him.  Barda says no and says Desaad's sister, Burnadeth is still out there and she is the deadliest of all. They wonder how they keep finding them and realize they are tracking Mother Box. Scott realizes Flashman still has it.

We cut to Funky's mansion, as he tries to fathom Mother Box and fails, tossing it aside so he can listen to the sound of his own voice. Then, the Furies materialize and all hell breaks loose. Funky does what all great leaders have done in such a crisis, he throws them cannon fodder, in the form of Houseroy, and hightails it out of there!



Funky escapes, while contemplating happy memories of the old place, with happy slaves singing for their masters. More later, I promise. His wig is gone and beard is falling off; but, Flashman is off to new green pastures. Scott and Barda come on the scene and the Furies depart. they rescue Houseroy and Scott vows to put an end to this by taking them on their own turf, via trial by combat. With that ominous note, we are told to check back for the Apokolips Trap!

Okay, let's get to the elephant in the room. Anybody not know that Flashman is a satire of Stan Lee? Didn't think so. Is it a fair one? Well, that's complicated. Let's examine things. Kirby stopped producing new characters at Marvel when it became clear he was considered a replaceable cog in the machine, by Martin Goodman. Jack harbored resentment and Stan became a target for that. Is it fair? Well, Sean Howe's book, The Untold Story of Marvel Comics suggests that Stan didn't have as much power as his title would suggest. There are a lot of questionable things in that book; but, I think that one is a fair assessment, based on various interviews. Stan was management and Kirby had a beef with it, so he had a beef with Stan, by default. Stan was getting all of the credit and attention, while Kirby was being seen as the guy who draws what Stan tells him. Kirby's ego took a beating and he upped stakes and went to DC.  He was given a certain level of freedom to create his own books (though more an illusion of freedom than true freedom) and he put his heart and soul and a bit of venom into it. DC didn't mind that Kirby was taking swipes at Marvel and Stan; lord knows he had done plenty of that to them, with the Brand Ecch moniker and editorials. But, is it fair? Well, to a point, yeah. Stan was a huckster, no two ways about it. He had a gift for promotion, especially self-promotion. Thing was, that was a major element in Marvel becoming the top dog. They needed a PT Barnum to attract attention and it worked; boy howdee did it work! So, that element of Funky is a fair picture of Stan, pushed up to eleven. Stan was balding, had been for years.

Suddenly, in the 70s, he had a lot more hair (and was wearing a beard and then moustache).



So, the vanity is a fair point; again, amped to 11. The cowardice? Well that is where "Up to a point" comes in. It's hard to say if that is fair. Stan spent his career at Marvel.  He talked of writing the Great American Novel; he never did. He talked of wanting to make Kirby art director; he never did. He spoke of many things he never accomplished. Did he fail or did he not try? If he never tried, you could say it was fear and that cowardice, taken in the extreme, here, is maybe not unfair. If you think he let himself became too bogged down in running Marvel and his role and didn't have the time and his goals changed, then, no, it's not fair. Maybe Stan did push for the behind-the-scenes things and was shot down, fitting the premise that he didn't have that much real power. That isn't cowardice. Did he take a stand? No; but, was he asked to? He had a family to feed, too, and this was the only job he had known, apart from early stuff. Kirby didn't exactly take a stand, at various points in his career. Thing is, we can't really say, with authority as we only know the Stan Lee personna. Kirby knew the man. Maybe his caricature was the truth, whether we like it or not. Then again, maybe it is just how Kirby had come to see Stan, in a haze of resentment, anger, and more than a bit of jealousy. It was the truth, as Kirby saw it, at the time.

The thing to remember, also, is that Funky Flashman is a lampoon. It takes things to the extreme. You can see Stan in the portrayal, but taken to the Nth degree. It's like pro wrestling, where the biggest stars took their own personality and magnified it into a performance. Over time, they became more of the personna and less of the man. I think that is a fair statement about Stan. Look, Jack didn't create everything at Marvel, neither did Stan. It was a collaboration. At certain times, one contributed more than another; but, each contributed. All you have to do is look at their work without the other to see what is missing. So, I don't think Stan was a no-talent hack who took all of the credit. I also don't think he was the greatest writer in comics, nor did he create these characters alone. He also swiped mercilessly. So did Kirby and Ditko. Hal Foster wants the Demon to return Prince Valiant's mask.

I do think Houseroy is more than a bit unfair, though as even Roy has said, it's a pretty funny name. Thing is, Jack knew Roy and maybe that is how he saw him then, in the same fog of anger and resentment. Roy was Stan's hand-picked successor and he rose pretty quickly. Perhaps in Jack's eyes he hadn't paid his dues. Maybe Roy just got caught in the crossfire. Whatever the case, I think he has a far more legitimate beef than Stan.

Fair or unfair, Funky is a hell of a great character. For a flashy, bombastic showman like Mister Miracle, he's a perfect creation.  He would return as much as Scott and Barda, always bringing chaos to their lives. Later writers softened the Stan lampoon and turned it more into PT Barnum and the character has stood the test of time. So, in the end, did it hurt Stan? I'm sure it did then; but, Stan seemed to rub a few creators wrong then and maybe it was a period where his ego had gotten the better of him. Most didn't stay mad at him forever, once they had some distance.  Well, except Ditko. Jack and Stan made up, to a degree, before the end. Even Roz buried the hatchet and she probably had more grudges than Jack.

Fair or unfair, it's damn funny! I would lay odds that Stan would even accept an offer to play the character in a Mister Miracle movie. Kirby knows, he never passes up an opportunity at a cameo.

There is one element I have never seen confirmed and that is whether the Flashman name was, in part, inspired by george MacDonald Fraser's Flashman novels. the character, Harry Flashman, appeared in Tom Brown's School Days. he's a bully, who gets his comeuppance. Fraser took that character and made him the hero of a series of historical adventure novels, with Flashman as a questionable narrator; always a coward and a con artist; but, often bumbling into heroism. I suspect the books might have been up Kirby's alley and the personna and name fit Kirby's perception of Stan. So, maybe.

So getting back to the story; this is one of my favorite Mister Miracle tales.  the Flashman character is hysterical and it demonstrates Kirby's flair for comedy, something he is rarely credited.  It's got tons of great action, especially Barda's battles with the Furies.  It's interesting that Scott doesn't really get in the fight; but, then again, Kirby probably didn't feel comfortable about that.  So, Barda got all of the fun.  This further establishes Barda as the true s###-kicker.  The art is great and Kirby is having a blast.  It's pure fun and he was really cooking in this period, with the Forever People and Desaad & Happyland (and Glorious Godfrey and the Justifiers), Orion and his war against Apokolips, Scott & Barda and their battles with Darkseid's minions, and the plain goofy fun of Jimmy Olsen.  We are also, sadly, at the halfway point of the experiment that is the 4th World.  Jack was about to find that Stan had been a better friend than he knew, once DC started to pull back on the reins.