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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 14, 2024 15:41:30 GMT -5
The Twelve #2 My main wonder is why he chose to skip trousers? Creative Team: J Michael Straczynski-writer, Chris Weston-pencils, Gary Leach-inks, Jim Betancourt & Comicraft-letters, Chris Chukry-colors, Tom Bevoort-editor Synopsis: We pick up where we left off, with Phantom Reporter standing over the dead body of the Blue Blade......  Apparently, everyone is a potential suspect....which I assume means Phantom Reporter, too! We flash back to Blue Blade extolling on how they could all cash in, now that they are national heroes, thanks to the public annonucement of their recovery from stasis. BB wants to get back into acting and figures tv and the movies will come calling. Everyone else look around at the future and wonders where the rocket packs are. Dynamic man looks out of the bus window and sees homeless people, scavenging for food or whatever and can see that the future is not what it was cracked up to be. Black Widow's only comments are about how bright it is, as PR ponders her alleged deal with the Devil, while mooning over how hot she looks. They are brought to a mansion, where Colonel Dexter explains that it is theirs, rent free, for one year, to adjust and decide what they want to do. Laughing Mask asks what the price tag is and Dexter explains that the government hopes they will return to superhero activities. if they do, the government will pick up the tab. If they don't, they are free to go on with their own lives. Dynamic Man says he is ready to go now, that he was born for the future. PR narrates that he worried when someone started to believe their own press. Dexter delivers information to Captain Wonder, about his family. He tells him he doesn't need to do anything right away, but CW is determined to go and leaves, flying away into the sky. PR narrates that Captain Wonder is having the rougheest time, as his wife and children are dead and buried. PR reflects that he kept relationships at arm's length, though he does hint that he was bad at them, which might have been a bigger factor. Master Mind Excello is getting headaches from sensory overload, then places a call to Geneva, Switzerland, to a bank. PR reflects on his abilities...remote viewing...and figured he probably had a contingency plan for ending up in the future and the Swiss bank would suggest that is correct. PR tries to talk to Black Widow, suggesting to her that she has a clean slate, but she replies that some deals don't expire...  Captain Wonder lands at the cemetery and finds the graves of his family. He reflects back on the past, his decision to join the fight to end the war, because it is history and she affirms that he must go. She still worries and he assures her that he will be back. She says she believes him.  Phantom Reporter goes for a walk and reflects back on why he went into crime fighting. As a reporter, he was wired into the city and he could use that info to take down crime organizations, expose them so badly even corrupt officials had to act. He took on spies and then joined the fight overseas, in the end; but, how can he go back now, when his sources are long gone and he is 60 years out of date? He sees some soldiers unloading a crate. It is Electro and Dynamic Man flies in and offers to take care of it. The soldiers are in awe of him. Dynamic Man tells PR to cheer up, though he notes those without powers bring the least to the table. He rubs it in then departs. PR looks at the uncrated Electro and sees himself as a relic of the past, too. Dynamic Man goes looking for trouble and finds it, rescuing a woman from a drive by shooting, halting a store robbery and assisting with a fire. He hears the cry of a woman, about a stolen purse and sees a black man running and swoops down and grabs hi, cocking a fist as he prepares to strike....  Apparently, DM had a lot in common with his former foes. He drops the man and flies away, saying he has better uses for his time. Black Widow hears a call of her own....  PR makes a decision to find a way to fight, rather than wallow in misery. he then sees Rockman, dragging a mattress down the stairs. He says he must be nearer to the ground, to his people...his little Princess will be looking for him. He takes it into the basement and PR follows and watches, feeling pity for the obviously grieving man. He leaves him, reflecting on how no one believed his story of being from an underground kingdom, as there was no evidence of its existence. They figgured he might be mental, though his strength was not fictional. No one could sleep that night, though......  Thoughts: This issue deals with loss and dealing with it and moving on. Blue Blade senses no loss, only opportunity, as does Dynamic Man. Captain Wonder and Rockman have lost families and are torn by grief. Wonder's is with the knowledge that he left them behind, to fight in the war, even though it was going well, without him. That decision lost him his entire family and he is wracked with survivor's guilt. Rockman is separated from his family, but believes they are below ground, cut off from him and he founds the ground to try to find them. The others doubt his tale, as no one has discovered the existence of this underground kingdm. Is it real or is he delusional. Phantom Reporter has lost a purpose, as he kept people away, to protect them, he told himself. he is reminded again and again that he is cut off, that he is a relic; but, he ends up determined to return to his work, for a distraction, if nothing else. Excello seems to be able to see his future and implies that he planned for it. If he has money in a Swiss bank, it will have accumulated interest for over 60 years. If he ut it in a Swiss bank, it is likely a large sum and he anticipated accessing it from anywhere. His future looks secure; but, it seems that the future is taking a physical and mental toll on him, as he deals with sensory overload. Black Widow has lost something, but not her connection to dark forces. She is alone and powerless to break free. JMS uses this issue to let us see the human side of these characters, after a dramatic debut. We get to know more about them and their past lives. Phantom Reporter excelled in investigative reporting and used a costume to do something with that skill, putting an end to crime and corruption. Professor Earl Jordon, Captain Wonder, was a teacher and had a wife and children he adored. He felt strongly about using his abilities to help save lives on the battlefield and end the war, for a brighter future for his family. Dynamic Man seems to revel in the future, but we see a darkness in him, as he all but directly belittles Phantom Reporter and racially profiles the husband of the purse snatching victim Upon learning they are married, he reacts indisgust and loses interest in their plight. This is a Superman who seems not to care much for people...or, at least, certain people. Laughing Mask seems to be contemplating his future, at the end, but he is mostly in the background, in this issue, other than questioning the price of the governments largesse. Blue Blade is a narcissistic jerk. He will fit right in to the modern world. The rest are unseen or just fill out the background. We have 12 issues, though, to tell this story, so their day may be coming. JMS is great at character development, in all his projects, and this follows similar lines, as we get to know the characters, while another story simmers underneath. In this case, it is the knowledge that one of them is a murderer and, so far, we cam only rule out The Blue Blade....unless he committed a very tricky suicide. Chris Weston continues to do a fine job and keeps the characters distinct, even out of costume. He seems to be using Veronica Lake as his model for Black Widow, which keeps a moody intensity to her, while looking like a pin-up model. Master Mind Excello is easy to spot, with his high arching eyebrows, if nothing else. Faces are distinct and I could pick out Laughing Mask, sans mask, by his hair alone. That is attention to detail and, in a mystery story, that is essential. This has less connection with Timely of the past, as these characters had so little history. Right now, it is about now, but the past is still there, waiting.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 21, 2024 16:20:10 GMT -5
The Twelve #3 Eh...the Fiery Mask is a poor man's The Flame! Except he doesn't have Lou Fine drawing him! Creative Team: J Michael Straczynski-writer, Chris Weston-pencils, Gary Leach-inks, Jim Betancourt & Comicraft-letters, Chris Chukry-colors, Tom Brevoort-editor Synopsis: The Phantom Reporter reflects on how people are adjusting to their new world, with Dynamic Man reveling in super heroics and Cpatain Wonder and Rockman consumed with grief and anguish. Mastermind Excello is bombarded with sensory overload, but Mister E has learned that he still has living family and departs to go see them. PR once again tries to make friends (or whatever) with Black Widow.....  We follow Mister E, aka Victor Jay, to meet his surviving family. The name on the paper he holds says "Mrs Laura Jay," the mailbox says "L. Goldstein." Victor meets his son Robert, now in his 60s. Robert is filled with anger; not only at Victor leaving them alone, but the fact that he made them hide the fact that they were Jewish and their true names, so he could fit in better with the wealthy...  He is led to his wife's room, where she is bedridden, on oxygen, dying. Victor breaaks down, sobbing, and begs her for forgiveness. Phantom Reporter, aka Richard jones, tries to lighten the mood with Black Widow, telling her a joke, over breakfast, which revolves around death. Her reaction is puzzling. They are interrupted by Samuel Kingston, syndicated columns editor of the Daily Bugle. he offers Richard a chance to return to his work, writing a regular column about life and subjects of this new modern world, from the perspective of a man out of time. Richard is enthusiastic, though cautious. Samuel makes his pitch to Richard, about being from a more straightforward time, but also one of limitations, if you were in a minority; a world he can recall without the haze of nostalgia. He says the modern world is gripped with cynicism and spin and could use some of that clarity, from a time when the future seemed unlimited. Richard accepts and is delighted to learn that rates for columns have greatly improved and that with national syndication, could become extremely rewarding. Elsewhere, Laughing mask is drunk, taunting a lifeless Electro, recalling his past as a vigilante hero. He was a deputy district attorney who took the law into his own hands, meting out justice with .45 cal bullets....  We then see him shoot a defenseless hood, who is hogtied on the floor, executing him with a coup de grace to the head. He says he isn't ready for the scrapheap and pulls down his mask, to go looking for trouble. The Fiery Mask sits in a bar, in Harlem, where he used to drink, where most Irish cops met to have a drink, after their shift...a place called Flannery's. It's long gone and the current patrons aren't exactly welcoming to police...for good reason. He reflects on how he became the Fiery Mask and tells the story of being transformed by a villain, called the Zombie Master.....  The audience doesn't buy the story. The Witness is there, too and they ask him his story. He basically brushes it off and some of the patrons go outside, where one of them is the victim of a drive-by shooting, from a rival gang member. Fiery Mask responds and encircles the shooter's car, in flames. Blue Blade is in costume, playing at being a swashbuckler, waiting for the offers to come rolling in. Victor Jay, aka Victor Goldstein, returns to the mansion, depressed, though he tries to hide it. he claims they were welcoming, but he couldn't stay the night as he had to help others. Richard, aka Phantom Reporter, is distracted, as he sees Black Widow fly off into the night, recalling their conversation that she doesn't sleep and him asking what she does, in the night. We soon see, as she comes to the home of a man named Simon Dexter.....  Thoughts: Well, it sucks to be a minor Golden Age Marvel, lost in time! At least Phantom Reporter is offered a chance to do what he loves. This issue centers heavily on the amount of loss these figures have endured, even without the personal tragedies of Rockman and Captain Wonder. Mister E has found his family alive, only to learn that they reject him for hiding who he was and making them do it, just so he could get ahead in the business world. He denied his history and faith for money, ironically reinforcing anti-semitic stereotypes. His wife returned to her true name and raised their son alone; but, he hates his father for making them endure that. Victor Goldstein's world is shattered and he has nothing left but the group. Fiery Mask has found that his old neighborhood bar has changed, as has the neighborhood. The question is, does he regret that or can he find purpose? The Witness remains mysterious. Laughing Mask, whose grotesque Comedy mask makes him a chilling figure, as he crashes into a room, guns blazing. He is supposed to represent law & order, as a district attorney, prosecuting criminals. However, he decided to flaunt the law and bypass due process, with a bullet to the head. We see that he seemed to delight in killing, even murdering helpless prisoners, much to the horror of the woman who had been their captive. It is clear that he is imbalanced and psychotic. Black Widow continues to be a mystery, but we see her serve her master, calling on Simon Dexter to collect on a debt owed to the master. We can see why jokes about death cause different reactions in her. Blue Blade continues playing at the hero, for attention and his arrogance makes him think that fame will come banging on his door, rather than earning it. Phantom Reporter seems to be the one who isn't either racked with guilt, psychoses, or dark secrets. He is the perfect narrator, as a professional observer of human behavior and actions. He also seems to be the one who least needs to fill his life with the costume and the hunt for danger and thrills, or seek vengeance. We are no closer to learning about the murder of Blue Blade; but, we continue to learn more about the characters, which may help to point to potential motives, assuming that one of them is the killer or is tied to BB's death. Black Widow and Phantom Reporter make for an interesting dynamic, as he tries to befriend her and she acts almost flirtatious, but without emotion behind it. Chris Weston's facials make it seem more flirtatious than the dialogue, though there are also impressions of hidden thoughts. This is still more of a character study than a whodoneit, but it adds to the mystery of the murder.
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Post by mikelmidnight on Aug 22, 2024 9:55:50 GMT -5
We follow Mister E, aka Victor Jay, to meet his surviving family. The name on the paper he holds says "Mrs Laura Jay," the mailbox says "L. Goldstein." Victor meets his son Robert, now in his 60s. Robert is filled with anger; not only at Victor leaving them alone, but the fact that he made them hide the fact that they were Jewish and their true names, so he could fit in better with the wealthy... I was ambivalent about this shot. I really dug (a la Sandman Mystery Theatre) seeing a mysteryman who broke from the standard physical model, but it also made me uneasy that the sole Jewish representation is the physically frail character, which is its own sort of cliché. This aged badly is just a few years! I also thought it reasonable that he be a columnist rather than a front-line reporter; the latter would be difficult with no sense of modern technology or the current political scene. This felt like a false note to me. "Zombie Master" is a corny name, but there are current super-villains with names like DOCTOR DOOM. It feels like JMS can't decide whether this takes place in a shared universe or not, but trying to have it both ways lends a note of implausibility. I was unsure how I felt about the character. I mean, he'd been in Berlin at the tail end of the war, and had legitimately fought crime. He wasn't just "playing at" the role. Also, he would have been engaging as a roguish anti-hero but instead he was just ... mildly annoying. I was fine with that, in theory, but by the time the series had ended ... looking ahead a bit ... I was disgruntled. I had no problem with a series full of character studies, but I felt like actually the series was sooo decompressed that there wasn't that much of it. I think if the series had come out in the 1970s and been written by Steve Englehart, we'd have had the SAME amount of characterisation and development, but also meanwhile the Twelve would have defeated Zarko the Tomorrow Man and the Stone Men of Saturn. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 22, 2024 12:48:23 GMT -5
We follow Mister E, aka Victor Jay, to meet his surviving family. The name on the paper he holds says "Mrs Laura Jay," the mailbox says "L. Goldstein." Victor meets his son Robert, now in his 60s. Robert is filled with anger; not only at Victor leaving them alone, but the fact that he made them hide the fact that they were Jewish and their true names, so he could fit in better with the wealthy... I was ambivalent about this shot. I really dug (a la Sandman Mystery Theatre) seeing a mysteryman who broke from the standard physical model, but it also made me uneasy that the sole Jewish representation is the physically frail character, which is its own sort of cliché. This aged badly is just a few years! I also thought it reasonable that he be a columnist rather than a front-line reporter; the latter would be difficult with no sense of modern technology or the current political scene. This felt like a false note to me. "Zombie Master" is a corny name, but there are current super-villains with names like DOCTOR DOOM. It feels like JMS can't decide whether this takes place in a shared universe or not, but trying to have it both ways lends a note of implausibility. I was unsure how I felt about the character. I mean, he'd been in Berlin at the tail end of the war, and had legitimately fought crime. He wasn't just "playing at" the role. Also, he would have been engaging as a roguish anti-hero but instead he was just ... mildly annoying. I was fine with that, in theory, but by the time the series had ended ... looking ahead a bit ... I was disgruntled. I had no problem with a series full of character studies, but I felt like actually the series was sooo decompressed that there wasn't that much of it. I think if the series had come out in the 1970s and been written by Steve Englehart, we'd have had the SAME amount of characterisation and development, but also meanwhile the Twelve would have defeated Zarko the Tomorrow Man and the Stone Men of Saturn. I don't necessarily disagree with any of that; these are just my reactions to the issue. JMS does sort of set it in the Marvel Universe, but it is a quiter part of it, as these guys were never the big guns. They were the minor heroes dealing with their neighborhood or wherever, for a short time. Marvels project was more of the big names, with glimpses of these guys. Really, Timely didn't have much of a bench beyond Namor, Cap and The Human Torch. After The Angel and The Destroyer, it gets pretty thin. Miss America lasted longer, but her series wasn't exactly superhero fare, for much of it. These guys were all minor, short-lived back up features, from early in Timely's history. I agree that JMS seems to play it both ways, as to the shared universe issue and I do think it would work better if it was an alternate world, rather than mainstream Marvel. I also agree that things are dragged on far too long and that the hiatus pretty much killed the series. When I finally got to see the second half (I initially discovered this in the trade collection, of the first half), it was a major let down. I had similar problems with JMS on Supreme Power, as it started well, then suddenly fell apart, narratively, then he abruptly left and they swerved into a new direction. Rising Stars had similar problems, even before Straczynski's disagreement with Top Cow. He just seemed to have issues writing for a comic book narrative structure, vs a novel or television production cycle. Blue Blade I liken to Crackerjack, from Kurt Busiek's Astro City. He is a glory hound and thrillseeker, who does what he does out of a need for attention and reward, rather then a more altruistic motive. He doesn't have a personal stake in fighting crime or righting injustices; it's there to feed his ego and whatever hole their is in his life. I think that is partly to differentiate him from the other characters, making him more unlikeable and, thus, giving the others a potential motive. Other than that, he's not particularly well developed or nuanced. He mostly seems to exist to be the victim of a murder, committed by one of the other 10 (assuming that Phantom Reporter, as the narrator and detective, isn't a Tom Ripley, feeding us BS). |
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Post by foxley on Aug 22, 2024 15:48:19 GMT -5
This felt like a false note to me. "Zombie Master" is a corny name, but there are current super-villains with names like DOCTOR DOOM. It feels like JMS can't decide whether this takes place in a shared universe or not, but trying to have it both ways lends a note of implausibility. For what it's worth, Zombie Master was the name of the villain Fiery Mask fought in Daring Mystery Comics #1, and not something JMS invented. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 22, 2024 17:11:54 GMT -5
This felt like a false note to me. "Zombie Master" is a corny name, but there are current super-villains with names like DOCTOR DOOM. It feels like JMS can't decide whether this takes place in a shared universe or not, but trying to have it both ways lends a note of implausibility. For what it's worth, Zombie Master was the name of the villain Fiery Mask fought in Daring Mystery Comics #1, and not something JMS invented. Yeah, JMS mostly sticks to the published stories for the character's past adventures. it is more within their personal world that he creates something new. For instance, Laughing Mask debuts in Daring Mystery #2 and in that story, he guns down a criminal who tries to surrender, after shooting a couple of other. He then beats a confession out of another. For his second appearance, he is renamed the Purple Mask, with a new costume, but same civilian identity of DA Dennis Burton. He is toned down a bit, too. The first appearance, though, has that pulpier, avenging tone that JMS selects and uses, tweaking it further, to him gunning down a hogtied crook, rather than one who just tries to surrender. |
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Post by mikelmidnight on Aug 23, 2024 11:32:03 GMT -5
This felt like a false note to me. "Zombie Master" is a corny name, but there are current super-villains with names like DOCTOR DOOM. It feels like JMS can't decide whether this takes place in a shared universe or not, but trying to have it both ways lends a note of implausibility. For what it's worth, Zombie Master was the name of the villain Fiery Mask fought in Daring Mystery Comics #1, and not something JMS invented. Characters in the comic are saying they find the origin unbelievable because the name is corny. I was suggesting that made no sense when they can pick up a newspaper and the front page will be full of guys with names like Doctor Doom. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 25, 2024 21:26:14 GMT -5
The Twelve #4 The original theatrical mask, as published in Daring Mystery Comics, was creepy enough; but, Weston managed to top it. Creative Team: J Michael Straczynski-writer, Chris Weston & Gary Leach-art, Jim Betancourt & Comicraft-letters, Chris Chuckry-colors, Tom Brevoort-editor Synopsis: Mastermind Excello tells the colonel he is moving out; he needs solace from the modern world to exercise his powers, see his future. That requires isolation and shielding from outside stimulus. As he could see into his future, before, he set up a rolling trust fund, if he were ever displaced in time and it amounts to beau coup moolah; so, he's got that going for him. The police stop in to speak to Laughing Mask. He was involved in breaking up a robbery, at a liquor store and he discharged one of his pistols, though no one was shot. The colonel reminds them that the heroes have immunity from prosecution for acts committed in the line of heroism, which they acknowledge, but they need a record of the weapon, just as they would a police officer who discharged his sidearm.  He cooperates, as he knows the procedure from his time as a DA. While they wait, one of the cops tells Phantom Reporter about the sight at the penthouse of Simon Dexter....like he had been torn to shreds. He was a mover and fixer within the celebrity world, age about 65, but looked 40. Died exactly at midnight, with all doors and windows locked from the inside. They ask PR and the others to call them if they learn anything. PR looks upstairs and sees Black Widow, in her robe, watching. Meanwhile, Blue Blade pesters Rockman for his story, proposing to make him a partner in his act, now that he has been signed by the William Morris Agency. Rockman speaks of Abyssia, his home, his wife, the queen, and his daughter, the princess...  They fought, but the evil ones set off a trap, burying the tunnels to Abyssia, cutting Rockman off from his world and family. He took up heroing in their memory, to help others; but, each night, he pounds on the ground, hoping they can hear him and come to him. BB doesn't seem to buy it. A farewell party is thrown for Excello and Phantom Reporter gets pretty drunk. Dynamic Man comes in, fresh from another event and chastises them for not seeing their duty. PR has had enough of his pompous ways and tells him off....  Dynamic Man tries to hit him, but his wrist is caught by Captain Wonder, who tells him to let it go. Dynamic Man tries to shrug him off; but isn't strong enough. He flies away and Black Widow shoots PR a less than enthusiastic look. She asks if that was for her benefit. PR, decidedly drunk, says, why not? He tries to cozy up to her and she says he doesn't know her and he would do well to keep it that way. As Dynamic Man leaves, he props down Electro, the dormant robot, as another "relic" for their party. BB then asks if anyone has noticed that Electro has moved; but, then says maybe he has moved, as he has had a bit much to drink. He looks at Electro and sees the possibilities of partnering with it. Mr. E stares into his drink, depressed. The Witness notices him (of course) and asks about the party. Mister E replies....  Excello departs and Dynamic Man flies off into the night. We later see Black Widow, at a Goth club, where she seems at home. A young woman eyes her, admiringly and approaches her......  PR sits down to write his column, while we see images of Rockman, in the basement, pounding the ground, Mister E, in bed, weeping, Black Widow at the Goth club as he talks of being home, in front of his typewriter. Thoughts: More character development, as we learn the origin of Rockman, ssuming you buy the story. Despite the Twelve's involvement with the Invaders and other Marvels, JMS seems to want to suggest there is no lost world, underground, that it is too ridiculous and cornball. Given that Black Widow is the thrall of some demonic entity and Excello can see into his future, why that would seem far fetched makes little sense. The Vision was an otherworldy presence and there were others of supernatural and alternate evolution, such as Namor, the hybrid of a human and an Atlantean. The Human Torch was an artificial being and Toro a mutant. Why couldn't there be a subterranean kingdom? As it is, Marvel has had several, including the realm of the Lava Men and the Mole Man and his creatures. Seems a bit odd, though, as we will see, there is a method to the madness. Phantom Reporter calls out Dynamic Man for his somewhat fascist ideology, though how much is truth and how much is him trying to impress Black Widow is unsure. What is sure is that Dynamic Man reacted in the extreme, restrained only by Captain Wonder. Did the truth hit too close to home? We also saw that Captain Wonder is stronger than Dynamic Man, which is something to keep in mind, for the future. We see more of Blue Blade's shallow need for adulation and his continued pursuit of fame and riches, first seeking to recruit Rockman, then, possibly, Electro. His comment about Electro makes you wonder if the robot did move or if BB is just drunk and seeing things. The Witness, true to his name, takes everything in and uses it to prod Mister E, who admits to his heritage. The Witness then replies that he, too, is a Jew. That is cryptic, here, but takes on new meaning, soon. Quite a bunch: Phantom Reporter is mooning for Black Widow, she is serving her demonic master and is at home with death and horror; Captain Wonder is grieving and Mister E grieves for what he has now lost and what he sacrificed, to so little. Blue Blade only wants fame and adulation and Dynamic Man seems at home in this future world, while Excello wants to cut himself off from it. Laughing Mask is psychotic and Electro is immobile. Rockman grieves for his lost ones. The Witness is cryptic and we really don't know what is going on inside him.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 28, 2024 18:30:43 GMT -5
The Twelve #5 The Witness gets the cover, this time. Creative Team: J Michael Straczynski-writer, Chris Weston & Gary Leach-art, Jim Betnacourt & Comicraft-letters, Chris Chuckry-colors, Tom Brevoort-editor Synopsis: The Witness is sitting in a diner, in the business district, but it is night and the place is like a ghost town. The waitress tries to entice him with fresh chocolate cream pie, but he declines. They engage in casual conversation, though more the waitress than The Witness (who is in a pin striped suit, not his costume). She notes that he seems like he is waiting for something or someone. he says he is waiting for justice. She humorously responds that the area is a legal distrct, with numerous lawyers and justice is hard to find. He responds that is find, as justice comes to all and that is his job, for he is The Witness.  The waitress smiles and notes that she has another regular who says he is the King of Prussia. She asks for the Witnesses story and he gives his "statement." She asks him to hold for a minute as a news piece comes on about Dynamic Man registering with the government and aiding in stopping a terrorist cell, in New Jersey, with footage of DM smashing through a brick wall and being unphased, after taking a flamethrower in the face. He answers reporter questions, praising the government and FBI and noting that he worked for J Edgar Hoover, who he calls a "man's man." The waitress laughs at that and remarks about Hoover's alleged cross-dressing and that the guy should have done a little research after they were unfrozen. She returns to the Witness and his story. He was a cop, in Chicago, but he shot an innocent man. They took away his badge and sent him to prison for two years...the two hardest years of his life. He was released, but couldn't get a job and was barely surviving. He took his own life. That was when things changed.....  A voice spoke to him and gave him a second chance, to save his immortal soul, to separate the good from the evil and he was returned to Earth, as The Witness. He receives images of an event, before it happens and he must determine if the event is deserved. if not, he must do everything he can to protect the person. If it is deserved, he must bear witness to the event and ensure it happens as foreseen. The waitress is a bit stunned and changes the subject, saying her other regular is due in. The Witness asks if he is a good man.  The Witness meets Mr Flint outside the diner, but calls him "Herr Falkstein," the name he had when he was the most hated guard at Auschwitz. The Witness is suddenly in costume and Falkstein stands in the road, stunned, then light shines over him, as he is hit by a mass transit bus. The next morning, at the mansion, Dynamic Man returns and asks the others if they saw him on the news. Phantom Reporter starts needling him immediately. Fiery Mask says Captain Wonder is going to speak to a class of kids, today, in his first step. Dynamic Man mocks the idea and PR starts to lambast him that there are all kinds of service. Fiery Mask quietly whispers to DM to drop it, as it is CW's first step, since learning of the deaths of his kids. He abides by that and asks the Witness what he was up to. He said he went for a walk in the city. DM asks if he was sightseeing and he responds, "of a sort." DM continues with his arrogant mocking and continues directing it to Captain Wonder, who reaches a breaking point and cocks a fist.  Dynamic Man counter-attacks, but is stopped by Fiery Mask's flame. He berates his behavior, but DM flies away. Elsewhere, the daughter of Professor Zogolowski, creator and controller of Electro, visits the colonel to petition for the return of the robot. She presents his blueprints as proof of ownership. The colonel counters that under salvage law, any claim ended when he died and the robot is, therefore property of the US Government. She responds that her father incorporated his company and it still exists as alegal entity, under her guardianship; and, therefore, still holds all claim to the company's property. The colonel says they will just leave it to the courts, which puzzles Ms Zogolowski, as she notes that the government has done nothing with Electro, except store him at the estate.  They want the telepathic interface that the professor used to guide the robot. The daughter doesn't want them to have it. Meanwhile, Blue Blade finds that he has to audition for network executives, before being given a variety show. He talks about becoming the Blue Blade to gain a name, so he would never have to audition again, but complies.  The act consists of dancers in skimpier versions of his costume (if that's possible) and tired old wife jokes. the network exec is horrified and angered that his time has been wasted on old dean Martin Show material.. BB's agent convinces him to give them 6 episodes, though if it hasn't improved within three, he vows to pull the plug and eat the losses. He also demands new material. The agent lies to BB and says that the exec loved the show. Elsewhere, Captain Wonder speaks to a class of inner city kids, with old fashioned talk of being a good citizen, staying out of trouble and working hard. The kids, who have seen day to day existence as a struggle, since the cradle, eat him alive. He learns that most of the class have had family members, including kids, shot. He is heartbroken and his faith is shattered. Dynamic Man finds him sitting on the curb, outside the school. he tells him that he was created to be the perfect man, for the future, but he doesn't recognize this future. So he distracts himself by keeping busy, hoping that the world will catch up. CW tells him to fly away. At the mansion, Laughing Mask tries to convince Phantom Reporter that they should team up and fight crime. He notes he could change his name to frowning Mask, then jibes about him frowning all the time, except when in the presence of Claire, Black Widow. They are interrupted by a police detective. He says the test they did on his guns reveal they were used in 1940, in a gangland slaying, before he was given immunity for his actions. There is no statute of limitations and they arrest Laughing Mask for the murder of the gangster he shot and killed. At the end, we see Captain Wonder suit up in his costume and take to the skies, with tears streaming out, trying to keep busy and ignore the pain. Thoughts: More character detail, as the mystery of who killed Blue Blade stays on the backburner, while we look at potential suspects and characters. We learn that the Witness is a supernatural figure, drawn to bear witness to someone who faces death, and determine if they are good or evil and save the virtuous and see to the punishment of the wicked, as foretold. Seems odd that JMS would put two avenging spirits on the team. there is a difference though, as The Witness is presented as an avenging angel, while Black Widow is presented as an acolyte of some demonic figure,,. her price for her deal. Captain Wonder and Blue Blade demonstrate how out of touch they are with the world at large. Blue Blade thinks of outdated comedy and stage acts and can't see that the material was done to death and entertainment evolved. or, rather, the bad stuff died away and better material replaced it. Captain Wonder believed in the virtues of his past, but is faced with a world where children are shot, often by other children, a world where his two sons died in a war that he missed, all because he went off to fight his war, instead of staying home to protect them. he is wracked with survivor's guilt and the school made it worse. Dynamic Man admits that he continues because the word isn't what it was promised and he must keep going or go mad. Laughing Mask learns that a costume doesn't make you a hero and justice comes, in the end. There is the subplot that Professor Zogolowski's daughter has come to collect Electro and vows to fight the government for ownership. It also suggests that new control might be established by someone else, reviving the robot. So far, though, we have no motive, other than Blue Blade being a blowhard and a phony and some psychologically scarred people surrounding him. That's hardly enough for a murder. This does showcase that, despite what some would think, the past was not a pure time. For all of the talk of the Greatest Generation, it is still a generation that fought a war with a segregated army, that denied the rights of citizenship to people and had laws limiting their civil rights. It was a generation that treated women as second class and minorities even more so. There was fear and paranoia of Communism and the use of it to scare others into supporting the suppression of unions, as workers tried to organize for better pay and conditions. Immigrants were denied entry to a country who displays a statue that is supposed to be a beacon of liberty, with the message "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp to the Golden Door." It was never a mythical age. Human beings are flawed and human society is flawed and always was and may always be; but, you can always strive for better. We have talked about how this fits in with the greater Marvel Universe and we get some visual reminders, as the bus that hits Falkstein bears the notice that its destination is Yancy Street and it carries an advertisement for the daily Bugle. However, we see no other heroes, even in New York Nothing since the push on Berlin. It seems JMS wanted to have his cake and eat it, too, as it is obvious that this exists in its own little universe, but wants to keep the ties to the Marvel Universe, for marketing purposes. I suspect that might have fed into some of the animosity between JMS and Joe Quesada, that led to delays in the series' second half. I do know that Tamora Pierce ran into editorial issues on her White Tiger mini-series and swore off working with Marvel ever again. It seems that even big name writers get no better treatment than Kirby or Ditko got. The difference is, these comics are the main gig for JMS or Tamora Pierce, just an enthusiastic sideline. For people like Kirby and Ditko, they were their professional life. Let's hope we start kicking the mystery part in gear, soon, as this is starting to drag a bit. Everyone has been showcased, in some fashion, let's see what led to the murder.
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Post by mikelmidnight on Aug 29, 2024 9:38:18 GMT -5
Elsewhere, Captain Wonder speaks to a class of inner city kids, with old fashioned talk of being a good citizen, staying out of trouble and working hard. The kids, who have seen day to day existence as a struggle, since the cradle, eat him alive. He learns that most of the class have had family members, including kids, shot. He is heartbroken and his faith is shattered. Dynamic Man finds him sitting on the curb, outside the school. he tells him that he was created to be the perfect man, for the future, but he doesn't recognize this future. So he distracts himself by keeping busy, hoping that the world will catch up. CW tells him to fly away. Captain Wonder's past not only had racial segregation. It had lynchings. It had race riots. He is old enough to have had just come out of the Great Depression where he'd seen kids starving and begging on the streets, and I'm sure there was a lot of crime and bad attitudes there. He's just come from Europe and seen evidence of the Holocaust. Honestly, this might have been workable if Wonder had been a stereotyped 1950s hero (which also had its problems, but which is more commonly viewed with rose-colored glasses). This scene was so absurd to me. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 29, 2024 12:12:24 GMT -5
Elsewhere, Captain Wonder speaks to a class of inner city kids, with old fashioned talk of being a good citizen, staying out of trouble and working hard. The kids, who have seen day to day existence as a struggle, since the cradle, eat him alive. He learns that most of the class have had family members, including kids, shot. He is heartbroken and his faith is shattered. Dynamic Man finds him sitting on the curb, outside the school. he tells him that he was created to be the perfect man, for the future, but he doesn't recognize this future. So he distracts himself by keeping busy, hoping that the world will catch up. CW tells him to fly away. Captain Wonder's past not only had racial segregation. It had lynchings. It had race riots. He is old enough to have had just come out of the Great Depression where he'd seen kids starving and begging on the streets, and I'm sure there was a lot of crime and bad attitudes there. He's just come from Europe and seen evidence of the Holocaust. Honestly, this might have been workable if Wonder had been a stereotyped 1950s hero (which also had its problems, but which is more commonly viewed with rose-colored glasses). This scene was so absurd to me. While I don't disagree, I do think there are a few factors that work in JMS' favor. One, the news media of the day, in the 40s, were newspapers and radio. If your local paper didn't cover a story, it was likely unknown to you. Radio didn't have the images and tended to be headline stuff; same with newsreels. Life Magazine and others carried photo essays on those kinds of things, but that varied from issue to issue. For a lot of that generation, the war and being shipped to army camps in other parts of the country, then overseas, was their first glimpse of life outside their hometown environs. My dad was a child during the Depression and the war and his first taste of life outside of Southern and East Central Illinois (when he was attending the Univ of Illinois) was in the Air Force, during the Korean War. He was stationed in Roswell, NM and also deployed to Greenland for 6 months, with his bomber squadron (a SAC B-36 squadron). So, it isn't conceivable. We don't really know how much of the Holocaust he witnessed, as we only see them pushing into Berlin. Bergen-Belsen was liberated on April 15, 1945, by the British. The description of the camp wasn't reported by the BBC until the 19th. The Soviets started shelling the outskirts of Berlin on April 20. Sachsenhausen was liberated on the 22nd, by the Soviets, Flossenburg on the 23, by the Americans, Kaufering on the 27th (Americans), Dachau on the 29th and Hitler committed suicide on the 30th. From the first issue, we see the Marvels entering Berlin on the 25th of April. The only mention of the camps is that The Witness "saw" Auschwitz (which was liberated by the Soviets, in January, making it unlikely that he was physically there). It doesn't elaborate if that is with his powers or directly. So, it is possible that Captain Wonder was unaware of the images of the camps, when they were frozen. Life Magazine didn't publish pictures of the camps until the May 7, 1945 issue. Not sure about Stars & Stripes; but, it is unlikely, at that stage, until things were settled into garrisons. The description of Captain Wonder, by Phantom Reporter, was that he was "straight up, middle class, ad honorable," which suggests a certain naivety about the world and an insular life. The original two appearances in Kid Comics show him as a chemistry teacher in what looks like a junior or senior high school, a weakling nerd, who develops a formula that gives him super strength. JMS left out the kid sidekick, Timmy (TIMMAH!). The stories were pretty derivative, highlighted by art from Frank Giacoia and Syd Shores. I think JMS intended for him to have this very narrow worldview and life experience, before he went off to join the final push into Germany and hadn't really seen the worst parts of the Depression or the basics of Urban life; certainly not children killing each other. He is also still in shock, both from time displacement and the loss of the family he left behind, to go play hero. I think the point was to show him meeting the reality and Dynamic Man pushing him into taking back up his mantle, but for the wrong reasons. It is more to show how psychologically damaged he is. Not saying that it is effective, just I believe that was the intent. JMS as a television writer was top notch. His comics works are interesting; but, he isn't a master of the form, like Ed Brubaker and nothing on the level of Alan Moore. He tends to repeat a lot of themes, between Rising Stars, Supreme Power, and to a lesser extent, here. This seems to be a mix of the Captain America revival and Watchmen, without anything really new to say. It's interesting and a good read, in the early stages. I only read through the second half once and it seemed disappointing, like he didn't really have the murder mystery that well developed, compared to the character pieces. Given his other workload, I can see that and it is a problem he had in those other projects....not to mention editorial fights with Joe Quesada. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 1, 2024 23:33:00 GMT -5
The Twelve #6 Creative Team: J Michael Straczynski-writer, Chris Weston & Gary Leach-art, Jim Betancourt & Comicraft-letters, Chris Chuckry-colors, Tom Brevoort-editor Synopsis: We open with a news report and footage of Dennis Barton, aka Laughing Mask, being brought in by the police and then placed in jail, pending arraignment. This is followed by Laura, the young Goth woman, infatuated with Black Widow. A friend questions her about the attraction...  Laura catches up with Claire, as she is about to leave, at Midnight. She asks if she could follow and Black Widow (Claire Voyant) says no. Laura's friend, from the Ladies' Room, comes up and when Laura turns back to where Claire was standing, she is gone. Meanhile, Phantom Reporter faces writer's block and pulls out his costume and stares at it, knowing that the real problem is that he craves excitement. The phone interrupts his contemplation and it is Mastermind Excello, calling to warn him of an impending, if non-specific doom. he has himself set up in an isolated place and can see things more clearly, including a future event. Elsewhere, at a bar and pool hall, a patron calls others out to see a commotion, as Dynamic Man battles ED-209.....  The mecha is from a group, called Mech Tomorrow, a group that blends man and machine. Dynamic Man has staged a war against them, making it a personal fight, saying they do not represent the future....he does. He destryoys the mecha, as the patrons watch and cheer him on. One of them invites him in, for a drink, though he declines, saying it has no effect. The guy counters with an offer of a Coke and he accepts. He and others thank him, for defending everyone in the neighborhood, while news footage on the tv shows Captain Wonder saving the Space Shuttle Olympus and another event where he saved a senator from a terrorist attack. The reproter remarks that he hasn't stopped to give interviews and has been carrying out heroic acts all over, at a dizzying pace, never stopping to celebrate. Dynamic Man starts to say his goodbye's and the patron who invited him bids him to stay, and places hi hand on Dynamic Man's buttocks. DM reacts in anger and near violence.....  His target apologizes, but questions Dynamic Man's response, given his attire and DM leaves, saying such things should have "...ended a long time ago!" Col Dexter arrives at an office and is introduced to Danielle Rose, who says she believes that Rockman is her great-uncle, Daniel Rose, from Tarleton, Virginia. The Colonel says that is impossible, that he comes from a lost underground civilization. Danielle gives him an alternate story....  Daniel Rose was a miner, in a company town, who tried to unionize the mining operation and create a better world for his wife and daughter, as well as the miners and townspeople. The Company's operations manager, Boss Clete, gathered some thugs and sent them into the mine to attack Daniel. he had gathered trusted men and a violent battle ensued, deep in the mine. His men defeated the thugs and Boss Clete fled the mine, triggering dynamite behind him, which caused a collapse of the mine, burying alive all present, except Clete, who escaped up the elevator, and Daniel, who was enveloped in some kind of gas, which made him invulnerable. The mine collapse caused a sinkhole that engulfed the town, killing everyone there, including his wife and beloved daughter. Daniel's mind snapped. He would be found pounding on the ground, like his dead family could hear him, and emerge from below. he disappeared, then stories started appearing about Rockman and Danielle's grandmother believed it was him, based on descriptions in eyewitness accounts. then, he disappeared again, forever, until he and the others were found in the bunker, in Berlin. Danielle shows Col Dexter a photo of Daniel Rose, with his wife and daughter and it is the spitting image of Rockman, under his mask and helmet. The colonel claims otherwise and Danielle, dejected, apologizes for wasting his time and leaves behind the photo. col Dexter's aide say it is him and the colonel asks him, if it were him, and the story was true, would he want to know the truth or continue to live a fantasy that his family was out there, somewhere, looking for him? Phantom Reporter dons his costume, intent on stopping the doom that Excello predicted, to show the others that he has a place in this new world. This is juxtaposed by images of the earlier bar, as something erupts inside, and Black Widow, sitting in a room, covered in blood and debris, with streaks coming from her eyes....  Thoughts: The big revelation, in this one, is the true origin of Rockman. he is not the lost king of an underground civilization, but a miner, named Daniel Rose, who tried to start a union. this leads the the Company trying to silence him, permanently, as he is a major figure in the town and the workforce. This part has some thematic connections to the film, The Molly Maguires, with Sean Connery, Richard Harris, and Frank Finlay. Harris is James McParlan, a Pinkerton agent, sent to infiltrate the gang, The Molly Maguires, who have been sabotaging mining operations, to fight the corruption of the mining company. Harris becomes sympathetic to their plight, though not their methods and is torn between loyalties. Connery is one of the Maguire leaders, while Finlay is the police captain. Coal Mining companies set up operations where they owned the entire area, where the mine was situated. They owned the houses and the businesses and deducted rent and necessities from the miners' wages, keeping them forever in their debt, until they are killed in mine accidents or die of lung diseases or other health conditions, leaving their families indebted to the company. Tennessee Ernie Ford's hit song, "Sixteen Tons," relates this kind of world.... (Actually a cover of the Merle Travis song) This is one of the more interesting elements to the series, as JMS mixes real labor history, of the period, with the original character. In the original stories, the men of Abyssmia were descendants of the first white settlers in America, building their underground world. When war rages above, they send one of their strongest to aid America in the war. This was somewhat derivative of Wonder Woman being sent to America, plus Namor's origin, as prince of a lost world, plus things like Flash Gordon (as he explores the Cavern worlds he was granted, as a kingdom, when he wins Ming's tournament) and other adventure strips. However, JMS ads this psychological element, that Rockman's "origin" is just a fantasy, created to block out the reality of his dead family and friends, while he survived. The gas part of the story is the most far-fetched, but no more than the original origin or those of some of the other characters. It lends further tragic elements to Rockman. He truly has lost his "little princess," forever, but long before he was frozen, in time. To add to the tragedy, he has other family, unlike Captain Wonder, but Colonel dexter denies them their connection, because he believes it is better that Rockman not face the reality of his loss. Is that really his reason, or is it a way to keep the invulnerable strongman on the government's payroll? The other interesting element is the exploration into alternate cultures and sexual orientations. It is never overtly stated, but it seems to be implied that Black Widow and Laura, the young Goth woman, are sharing a romantic relationship....or, at least, a romantic attraction. For Laura, it seems to go beyond sexual attraction, into Black Widow's charisma and the aura of darkness surrounding her. As she says to her friend, they all play at darkness and "other worlds", but Black Widow is darkness, and other worlds. It can also be interpreted that the club is a fetish club, though it is a bit murky. It is not uncommon for those two worlds to mix, much as BDSM overlaps with other lifestyles and orientations. Meanwhile, it is also implied, though more strongly, that the bar where Dynamic Man is invited for a drink, is a gay bar, in a predominantly gay neighborhood. The man who invites him in for a drink speaks of him defending "everyone" in the neighborhood, not just some, suggesting they have been harassed because of their orientation and faced little action by the police, which was not uncommon, especially before the Gay Rights movement was more strongly organized and widespread. The Stonewall Riots that erupted in 1969 were a response to constant police harassment of gay bars, in Greenwich Village. It became a touchstone in the Gay Rights movement, as the gay & lesbian community began to push back and start demanding their rights, as citizens, leading to more and more men and women coming out openly as being gay and forcing society to face the issue. It also has elements of the psychological thriller, Cruisin', about a New York cop, sent undercover into the Leatherman scene, in New York, to find a serial killer. In the film version, we see a pair of cops harass some of the patrons, then later see one of them within the club, looking for action. It was not uncommon for some of the most homophobic and violent bigots to be closeted, in their own life, attacking out of a sense of self-loathing. The question is, where does Dynamic Man fall into that dichotomy? Is he a narrow-minded bigot, a product of his time and its attitudes? or does he carry a self-loathing, while expressing a portion of his true self, via his heroic life? Is he conflicted about his sexuality, or is it the shock of this new world, a world where people can live as their true selves? Here is where this series really starts to show some potential, for something deeper and less derivative of Watchmen and similar deconstructions, or a Golden Age nostalgia piece. It doesn't exactly propel the murder mystery element, for which we have spent half the run of the mini-series, providing backstory. At what point do we get the murder and investigation? The ending, with the warning from Excello and Phantom Reporter donning his costume, suggests in the next issue. Meanwhile, in the news pieces seen on the bar tv, there is a tv critic's piece eviscerating Blue Blade's show as unfunny, crude, lacking in talent, lacking in humor and just plain bad. It is likely that the show will be killed by the network exec. BB's manager is obviously using him to get money; but, what is his angle beyond that? Does he kill Blue Blade when things fall apart? Sadly, just as things are getting interesting, we also run into a brick wall, as there are two more issue, before the series went on a 4 year hiatus, due to JMS' commitments in Hollywood and a dispute with Joe Quesada, as well as a film project that Weston took up, providing storyboards. Given some statements from people who worked with Marvel in this period, the dispute might lie in editorial interference, from Quesada ad an attempt at financial shenanigans. Then again, given JMS has had disputes with Warner, Top Cow and Marvel, maybe he is a bit hard to work with. The cast of Babylon 5 never expressed such sentiments, though there was a strike against the production company, or at least the threat of one. Whatever the case, fans were left twiddling their thumbs, with unfulfilled promises and delays, until they moved on. it killed momentum on the series and when it was finally finished, the audience was pretty well gone (much like with the conclusion of the Deathmate crossover, between Valiant and Image). We will have to see where this goes. I actually haven't really read the second half, so this will mostly be new to me.
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Post by foxley on Sept 2, 2024 3:39:08 GMT -5
Not just the coal mining companies. Arlo Guthrie's "1913 Massacre, on the album Struggle, is about the Italian Hall Disaster: a tragedy that occurred on Wednesday, December 24, 1913, in Calumet, Michigan, United States. Seventy-three people – mostly striking mine workers and their families – were crushed to death in a stampede when someone falsely shouted "fire" at a crowded Christmas party. Although it has never been proven, many believe that the person or persons who shouted "Fire!" were agents of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company management. And thanks for doing this review codystarbuck. I started reading this series, but gave up because its release was so irregular and unpredictable. You've got me intrigued again, so may have to pick up the TPB. |
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Post by mikelmidnight on Sept 3, 2024 12:29:28 GMT -5
Captain Wonder's past not only had racial segregation. It had lynchings. It had race riots. He is old enough to have had just come out of the Great Depression where he'd seen kids starving and begging on the streets, and I'm sure there was a lot of crime and bad attitudes there. He's just come from Europe and seen evidence of the Holocaust. Honestly, this might have been workable if Wonder had been a stereotyped 1950s hero (which also had its problems, but which is more commonly viewed with rose-colored glasses). This scene was so absurd to me. The description of Captain Wonder, by Phantom Reporter, was that he was "straight up, middle class, ad honorable," which suggests a certain naivety about the world and an insular life. The original two appearances in Kid Comics show him as a chemistry teacher in what looks like a junior or senior high school, a weakling nerd, who develops a formula that gives him super strength. JMS left out the kid sidekick, Timmy (TIMMAH!). The stories were pretty derivative, highlighted by art from Frank Giacoia and Syd Shores. I think JMS intended for him to have this very narrow worldview and life experience, before he went off to join the final push into Germany and hadn't really seen the worst parts of the Depression or the basics of Urban life; certainly not children killing each other. He is also still in shock, both from time displacement and the loss of the family he left behind, to go play hero. I think the point was to show him meeting the reality and Dynamic Man pushing him into taking back up his mantle, but for the wrong reasons. It is more to show how psychologically damaged he is. Not saying that it is effective, just I believe that was the intent. That is a fair point. One of the things I found interesting in MWGallaher 's Hourman reviews, is the way in which (despite his apparent national reputation) Hourman really comes across as a small-scale, local hero (which also, gave me a different sense of how the JSA was formed ... these weren't the 'big guns' of 1940, they were pretty much everyone they could find to invite). |
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 4, 2024 22:28:47 GMT -5
The Twelve #7 Phantom Reporter gets the cover. Interesting color choice, for his costume. Looks like it would have been more at home in Greenwich Village. Creative Team: J Michael Starczynski-writer, Chris Weston-art, Jim Betnacourt & Comicraft-letter, Chris Chuckry-colors, Tom Brevoort-editor Synopsis: Phantom Reporter is at the scene of the attack on the Rail and Balls. He reflects back on a case, in 1940, when the owner of the Gloria Bar & Grill, appealed the revocation of his liguor license, for not expelling homosexuals. He challenged the testimony of police officers and their ability to identify homosexuals. The case was upheld and reflected an attitude of using licensing laws and similar statutes to persecute homosexuals. However, in this age, the public wants justice and isn't afraid to demonstrate, as protesters are seen outside. Inside is a scene of carnage, with blood splatters and the tape markings of bodies that have been removed. The detective in charge asks about Dynamic Man, based on previous events at the bar; but, he has an airtight alibi: he was at the mansion, with the rest, for Excello's farewell party and was seen by others, plus recorded by surveillance cameras that the Army had placed inside. Neither PR or the detective have seen something like the scene, but another lieutenant, Dave Rose, has. He has been investigating a series of killings, involving successful businessmen, artists, actors, and others of some notoriety, who have been ripped apart. These are similar, but not the same....  He also says that the scene of one of the killings had a witness, who said they saw a woman fly out a window. He asks PR if he knows anyone like that and he says no, but thinks of Black Widow. The detective also mentions Fiery Mask and has PR pass along a message not to leave town, until they speak. At the mansion, Professor Steve Jordan has a visitor: his old sidekick, Tim Mulrooney....  Both Steve and Tom were enveloped in a gas, from a dropped vial of a new formula that Steve created. It gave them superpowers and Tom became Captain Wonder's sidekick, though just called Tim. After the disapeparance, Tim became Captain Tim, Scourge of the Underworld, to carry on the legacy, but he was shot and discovered that the Wonder Serum was wearing off. He gave up crimefighting and began working in an electronics shop, in Time Square. He lost hope of seeing Captain Wonder again, until Captain America reappeared, then with their discovery. He asks Steve to recreate the serum, as he has a cancer and needs it to fight it; but, Steve says he cannot. Tim storms off, angry and hurt. Blue Blade argues with his agent, but the network is talking cancellation and a lawsuit. BB notices Ms Zogolowski claiming Electro, after winning temporary custody. He has an idea and goes to speak to her. She is berating movers for damaging the robot, as there is grass and mud at the feet, but they swear he has never left the concrete.  Phantom Reporter goes to see Mastermind Excello, who talks about the vision of death, for one of them. He says he sees PR at the center of it, but not the killer or victim. He warns him to get more protective clothing. Phantom Reporter decides to confront one of the Twelve.....  We conclude with Tim Mulrooney, standing on a rooftop, donning a cape, then leaping to his death, saying he wanted to be special again. Thoughts: The opening segment is based on a real 1940 case, where the Gloria Bar & Grill sought to overturn a ruling for not expelling homosexuals. They lost, with a very unsympathetic court. Agencies like the State Liquor Board were used to harass and stamp out homosexuals, as undesirables. A Los Angeles "expert" tried to go after the Army, after vice cops arrested homosexuals, with Army draft cards, saying their screening wasn't rigorous enough. Even in my time in the military, suspected homosexuals could be called in by NIS to be interrogated about their sexuality, even if they had committed no offense, under the UCMJ. Too many good people were discharged or just driven out because of these attitudes. I saw a documentary and a woman, who served as a WAC, during the war, under Eisenhower, said he once wanted to draft a memo for a program to eradicate homosexuals from the base. She then, courageously, told him he would have to start with her. He backed down. We learn more of the killings around Black Widow, as bodies were torn apart and their were traces of sulfur. However, the killings in the bar are similar, but not the same. The blood patterns were more chaotic, in the others and here it is pooled and flattened. They take samples from a scorch mark on the outside concrete. Phantom Reporter is getting back to investigating, both the killings in the gay bar, Black Widow's activities and the impending murder of one of them. The detective who speaks to him praises his writing, but seems to have little time for costumed crime fighters. Steve Jordan's visit with Tim, at first, seems like a positive step, until Tim begs to be super again. Prof Jordan says he still has no idea what was in the vial, originally. He caught a heavier dose and the suspended animation slowed any potential decay. Tim wants to be a hero again, a part he lost, and time is running out. When he learns that Captain Wonder can't grant him that wish, he takes his own life. It seems tragedy follows these heroes, no matter what. Mastermind Excello is in his new house, with lead-lined walls and protection from intrusive stimuli, but he still hasn't adjusted to the new period and his powers aren't reliabele yet, other than this vague vision of a death of one of them, and Phantom Reporter at the center. Not the deepest of issues and more establishing complications to things, rather than moving forward with the mystery, although baby steps are taken. Chris Weston provides his own inks, instead of Gary Leach. There isn't a significant difference, though it added to delays. At this point, the story is starting to feel protracted and that it is time to start resolving the mystery. We at least need to see more investigation, but we are still establishing events, leading to the murder of Blue Blade. It's starting to get frustrating, as the story doesn't seem to warrant 12 issues. I suspect the number was based on the number of characters, rather than a plot synopsis and outline. It also seems odd that these heroes have no interactions with others in the MU, as they are clearly shown to exist in the same world. You'd think Captain America would at least stop by.
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