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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 6, 2015 8:40:47 GMT -5
Freedom Fighters #2May-June 1976 (February 10, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Dick Giordano, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Mike Royer (Inker), Uncle Sam logo figure “Rampage!” 18 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Writer), Pablo Marcos (Penciller), Tex Blaisdell (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits. FC: The Black Condor, Doll Man, The Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, The Ray, Uncle Sam, teamed as the Freedom Fighters SC: David Pearson Villains: The Silver Ghost, King Samson, The Ghost Gang (Fritz named in this story) Intro: Craig Olsen (first name revealed in Freedom Fighters #4) SynopsisUncle Sam, the Ray and the Human Bomb, forced to serve the Silver Ghost to save the lives of the other Freedom Fighters, destroy a subway train beneath Columbus Circle, escaping before the police can close in. DA Pearson weighs the political consequences of his hasty alliance with the FF. The Ghost breaks into the local TV broadcasts, demanding that Manhattan Island be returned to his sole ownership by “tomorrow noon” or its populace will “die at the hands of the Silver Ghost and his allies-- --the self-proclaimed Freedom Fighters!” Pearson orders the super-team's arrest. The Ghost and King Samson force Sam and the others to accompany them to the city reservoir. Realizing the villain means to poison the water supply, the heroes rebel. During the fight, the Ghost accidentally electrocutes himself. With their leader dead, Samson and the Ghost Gang beat a hasty retreat. Back at the Van Zandt mansion, the Bomb analyzes the Ghost's circuitry and reverses its effects, restoring Doll Man, Phantom Lady and Black Condor to normal. The NYPD surrounds the building, warning the FF to “surrender at once-- --or we open fire!” The Good GuysThe Human Bomb describes himself as a physicist in this issue despite being depicted as a chemist in all previous appearances. The Ray's last name is spelled ‘Terril’ in this issue. Fashion WatchThe Human Bomb's protective costume is skin-tight instead of baggy throughout this issue. Both the Silver Ghost and King Samson's costumes are changed in this issue. The visor on the Ghost's cowl, his wristbands and his boots are missing and a cape has been added to his uniform, while Samson wears a totally different outfit than he wore in #1. They also are wearing these costumes in a flashback to the previous issue.
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 7, 2015 9:04:03 GMT -5
All-Star Comics #60May-June 1976 (February 17, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], main image, signed; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), JSA logo figures “Vulcan, Son Of Fire” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Writer), Keith Giffen (Layouts), Wally Wood (Finished Art), no lettering or coloring credits FC: Doctor Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, Wildcat, teamed as the Justice Society of America FC: Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, teamed with the JSA as the All-Star Super-Squad Intro: Vulcan, Son of Fire (Christopher Pike) Intro: Eileen O'Neil SynopsisOn a rainy Sunday at Justice Society headquarters, the Flash, Wildcat, Power Girl, and the Star-Spangled Kid bemoan the recent lack of activity, unaware they are being watched from across the street by Vulcan, an armored giant sheathed in flame. He attacks without warning, hurling flame from his battle axe in all directions. At the financially troubled Gotham Broadcasting Company, Alan (Green Lantern) Scott broods over his personal and professional woes. Dr. Fate, arriving as Kent Nelson, summons the Lantern to action. Back at JSA HQ, the battle seems to be going the good guys' way until Vulcan emits an unendurably bright flare of light. He strikes them down while they are blinded, then sets the building afire. A Pentagon official briefs Fate and GL on the tragic case of astronaut Christopher Pike. On a mission in solar orbit, Pike went berserk and murdered his fellow crew members. Out of control, the ship fell into the sun but a fragment fell back to Earth. Pike, horribly mutated into a being of living flame, emerged from it, his hero-worship of the Justice Society twisted into hatred. Returning to Gotham, the heroes investigate an electrical storm ravaging the city's entertainment district. At the heart of the storm, Vulcan — the former Christopher Pike — feeds on the energy. As the Lantern and Fate swoop to the attack, Vulcan vows to battle to the death. Behind the ScenesThis is the first issue of All-Star Comics in which Hawkman does not appear. The Winged Wonder is the only super-hero to appear in all 57 issues of the title's Golden Age run. In the Star Trek mythos, Christopher Pike is the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise who immediately preceded James T. Kirk. ContinuityPower Girl comments that it has been “weeks” since the defeat of Brain Wave in All-Star Comics #59 (Robin will make a similar observation in #66). The events that begin in this issue and run through page 2 of All-Star #70 are explicitly tied to the summer of 1977 in #69. If the story in All-Star #58-59 is assumed to begin in October 1975, as #58's release date indicates, then it has been some twenty months since Brain Wave's defeat. Such a timeline accommodates the events of The Flash #247, Justice League of America #135-137 and the “Huntress” story in DC Super-Stars #17 (as well as such non-depicted events as the archaeological expedition during which Carter and Shiera Hall dig up Xanadu the Chaos-Master, the appointment or election of Bruce Wayne as Gotham City Police Commissioner, and Flash's public revelation of his civilian identity), all of which must occur before the start of this issue's story arc. Although such a long interval creates problems of its own, this guide will follow that chronology. See the Continuity sections of the individual issues cited for further information. Meeting MinutesJustice Society headquarters are established as being in Gotham City in this issue. The Bad GuysVulcan should not be confused with the Greco-Roman god Vulcan (also called Hephaestus) nor with the Earth-One villain of the same name introduced in the “Batman and Robin” story in Detective Comics #302 (April 1962). Vulcan has the power to metamorphose into solid steel in the story's opening sequence but never uses it again. Green Lantern mentions he has been searching for The Harlequin. This is the first mention of Harlequin in Earth-Two continuity. Though it is not made explicit, the implication is that she has returned to a life of crime since being revealed as an undercover agent for the FBI in Green Lantern #34 (September-October 1948). Fashion WatchPower Girl wears the earlier version of her costume, last seen in All-Star #58, on the cover of this issue.
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Post by Dr. Poison on Jan 7, 2015 17:44:40 GMT -5
Vulcan Son of Fire is one of my favorite JSA villains. It's a shame he hasn't been used much since his debut. I was kind of hoping we'd see him in the New 52 but no luck yet.
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 8, 2015 8:54:49 GMT -5
Secret Society Of Super-Villains #1May-June 1976 (February 19, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Ernie Chan [as Ernie Chua], signed “Attend… Or Die!” 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor/Writer), Pablo Marcos (Penciller), Bob Smith (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits FC and Team Intro: Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Copperhead, Grodd, The Mirror Master, The Shadow Thief, Sinestro, The Wizard, teamed with Manhunter and Star Sapphire as the Secret Society of Super-Villains SC: Gorillas of Gorilla City Intro: Manhunter [of Earth-One] (a surviving Paul Kirk clone; see second The Bad Guys note below) Intro: Star Sapphire (true identity unknown), also appears as “Camille” (see fourth The Bad Guys note below) Intro: Carstairs (first name unknown) SynopsisThe Wizard is one of several super-villains invited to a meeting in Earth-One's San Francisco. The Manhunter, spokesman for the unseen and unnamed benefactor of the new “Secret Society of Super-Villains,” suggests that only by joining forces can the villains overpower the Justice League and other enemies. Their sponsor has provided the nascent organization with a headquarters and a butler, Carstairs, to serve them. Each villain who chooses to join must carry out a mission chosen by their benefactor as an initiation. Gorilla Grodd and Copperhead are assigned to steal plutonium from a secret government base. Their mission ends with Copperhead captured and the plutonium lost. Behind the ScenesThe Wizard is the only Earth-Two villain to join the Secret Society of Super-Villains during the fifteen-issue run of its title, all but the final three issues of which take place entirely on Earth-One. ContinuityIt is not clear where this series fits into Earth-Two continuity. According to a footnote in the ‘Justice Society of America’ story in All-Star Comics #66 (confirmed in the brief flashback sequence in SSoSV #12), the Wizard's involvement with the Secret Society occurs after his defeat alongside the Injustice Society in All-Star #67. Thus the series probably occurs between late summer 1977 and the early spring of 1979 (when Wiz's faction of the team battles the JLA in Justice League Of America #166-68) but this cannot be confirmed. The story arc begun in this issue and concluding in #5 takes place over the space of approximately three days. Meeting MinutesUnlike more conventional super-teams, there is little organizational continuity between one incarnation of the Secret Society of Super-Villains and the next. Its history can be broken down into a number of distinct periods, some overlapping, each defined by its leadership: ● The original team, financed behind the scenes by Darkseid, led by the Manhunter clone ( SSOSV #1-5). ● The “villains-for-hire” incarnation, financed behind the scenes by the Wizard, run by Funky Flashman ( SSOSV #6-10) and briefly taken over by Lex Luthor ( SSOSV #7). This version eventually separates into three distinct factions: Grodd's ( SSOSV #10-11, DC Super-Stars #6, Super-Team Family #14); The Wizard's ( SSOSV # 12-15, Justice League Of America #166-68); and The Silver Ghost's ( SSOSV #15 and the non-canonical Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #1-2). ● The Earth-Two-centered incarnation financed and led by the Ultra-Humanite ( Justice League Of America #195-97, All-Star Squadron #25-26, All-Star Squadron Annual #2). This is the first appearance of the “Sinister Citadel” (also called the “Citadel Sinister”), a 100-story office tower in downtown San Francisco that doubles as the headquarters of the Secret Society. According to the diagram on page 7 of this issue, the Society has facilities spread over ten stories of one corner of the tower including a “parlor and bar,” meeting rooms, private quarters, a gymnasium, laboratories and an arsenal. It is not clear from the diagram which corner or which floors these facilities occupy.  The source of the air car used by Grodd and Copperhead in this story is not identified. It presumably is part of the equipment supplied to the Secret Society by its financial backer. No hangar or roof access is depicted in the Sinister Citadel diagram on page 7. The Bad GuysAlthough the Catwoman is mentioned in the caption listing the attendees at the first Secret Society meeting (page 9, panel 4), the character does not appear in this or any subsequent issue. The Manhunter introduced in this story is a clone of the Earth-One super-hero introduced in Adventure Comics #73 (April 1942) and killed in action in the “Batman and Manhunter” story in Detective Comics # 443 (October-November 1974). It is possible that this is one of the many clones depicted in the Detective “Manhunter” series but this cannot be confirmed. He should not be confused with ● The big game hunter whose Adventure Comics series preceded the costumed hero's, running from #58 (January 1941) through #72 (March 1942). ● The unrelated Earth-One hero/villain of the same name, later known as The Privateer, introduced in 1st Issue Special #5 (August 1974) ● The Earth-Two doppelgänger of Kirk, first identified as a distinct character in All-Star Squadron # 13, or ● The Quality Comics hero of the same name introduced in Police Comics #8 (March 1942), who may or may not be identical to the Earth-Two version of the character first seen in All-Star Squadron # 31. The Shadow Thief makes only a brief appearance at the first Secret Society meeting. No explanation is given for his subsequent absence. He may have either declined membership or failed his admission test off-camera but this cannot be confirmed. The Star Sapphire seen in this issue is the third Earth-One character to assume that costumed identity. Although Bob Rozakis, a later scripter on the SSoSV series, created an origin for the character, the story was not published in comic book form so its details will not be considered canonical by this guide. She should not be confused with the Earth-Two villainess of the same name introduced in All-Flash #32 (December 1947 – January 1948).
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 9, 2015 8:31:20 GMT -5
The Brave And The Bold #127June 1976 (March 16, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed, main image; Neal Adams, Batman headshot; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), Wildcat headshot “Dead Man’s Quadrangle” 17 pages Murray Boltinoff (Editor), Bob Haney (Writer), Jim Aparo (Art and Lettering), no coloring credit FC: Batman [of Earth-One/B] and Wildcat SynopsisLate night on the Gotham docks. Two men murder each other as Batman, his foot momentarily caught in a rotting plank, looks on helplessly. With his dying breath, one begs the Darknight Detective to stop “El Zapatero.” Batman and Commissioner Gordon are briefed by the INS: El Zapatero is the mysterious mastermind of a smuggling ring that brings illegal aliens into America at exorbitant prices. The ring recently “kill[ed] their human cargo when federal agents got hot on their trail.” Their bodies were found floating in “Dead Man’s Quadrangle … an area in the Caribbean where many ships and planes have vanished.” An illegal immigrant is found dead in the landing gear of an inbound jet. Sand found on the corpse’s new boots ― El Zapatero earned his name, which means “The Shoemaker,” from the new boots he provides each ‘client’ ― came from Key Allegro, an island in the heart of the Quadrangle where Ted (Wildcat) Grant owns an exclusive health spa. En route to the island, Batman meets Hannibal Kingsley, author of the bestseller that gave Dead Man’s Quadrangle its sinister reputation. Their jet loses power, dropping from the sky as an SOS from a ship that disappeared years earlier is heard on the plane’s radio, but pulls out of its dive in time. On Key Allegro, Batman persuades Ted to help him break up Zapatero’s operation. Ted goes undercover as an illegal and boards Zapatero’s ship with Batman following in a borrowed yacht. Ted is caught prowling the ship in his Wildcat costume. Batman is captured at sunrise El Zapatero is really Hannibal Kingsley, using the Dead Man’s Quadrangle myth as a cover for his operation. Outnumbered and outgunned, Batman and Wildcat teeter on the brink of defeat until the ship’s human cargo, sensing their certain deaths approaching, join the melee. Kingsley escapes in his helicopter but crashes in the Caribbean, victim of the very legend he chose to exploit. Behind the ScenesThe title and plot of this story are references to the book The Bermuda Triangle by Charles Berlitz, a fanciful and largely inaccurate work of pseudoscience published in 1974 that popularized this hitherto obscure legend. CosmologyThis story is the last known appearance of the Earth-One/Earth-B Wildcat. ContinuityAccording to this story, Ted Grant has made two comebacks to prizefighting since his original retirement. The first may have occurred between The Brave And The Bold #88 (which stated he’d been retired for several years) and #110 (which implied that he had only recently retired), probably after Ted Grant spent a year in Mexico with amnesia, as seen in #97. The second comeback, which ended sometime prior to the start of this issue’s story, could have begun anytime after #110, as the character’s appearances in B&B #118 and Super-Team Family #2 do not preclude the possibility. It is probably during this same period that he establishes his health spa. Points to PonderBatman travels to Key Allegro by commercial airliner rather than in the Batplane… and in full costume, no less.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jan 9, 2015 9:17:12 GMT -5
There sure were alot of Batman/Wildcat team-ups!
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Post by Calamas on Jan 9, 2015 9:19:11 GMT -5
The Brave And The Bold #127June 1976 (March 16, 1976) $.30 Cover Art: Jim Aparo, signed, main image; Neal Adams, Batman headshot; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Wally Wood (Inker), Wildcat headshot . . . Points to PonderBatman travels to Key Allegro by commercial airliner rather than in the Batplane… and in full costume, no less. If I remember right (and my memory should always be questioned) Bob Haney cast himself as “Hannibal Kingsley.” Ulterior motive? |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Jan 10, 2015 0:39:07 GMT -5
There sure were alot of Batman/Wildcat team-ups! That was the last of 'em, so 5 total. The Haney/Aparo B & B team were all about repeat team-ups (Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men all showed up a lot in the same time-frame) - Haney always swore that he just kept reusing the co-stars that sold, so maybe WIldcat was secretly super-popular. |
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Post by Dr. Poison on Jan 10, 2015 8:07:01 GMT -5
There sure were alot of Batman/Wildcat team-ups! That was the last of 'em, so 5 total. The Haney/Aparo B & B team were all about repeat team-ups (Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men all showed up a lot in the same time-frame) - Haney always swore that he just kept reusing the co-stars that sold, so maybe WIldcat was secretly super-popular. And Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men were some of his top sellers as co-stars? That really surprises me, even for the 70s. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 8:13:17 GMT -5
That was the last of 'em, so 5 total. The Haney/Aparo B & B team were all about repeat team-ups (Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men all showed up a lot in the same time-frame) - Haney always swore that he just kept reusing the co-stars that sold, so maybe WIldcat was secretly super-popular. And Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men were some of his top sellers as co-stars? That really surprises me, even for the 70s. I remember the 70's quite well and I may add here - That both Sgt.Rock and the Metal Men were very popular back then and some of the older generation comic book readers - 40 and older fondly remembered them. I was a big on the Metal Men back in the mid 1970's to mid 1980's and of course Wildcat was popular too. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jan 10, 2015 8:56:13 GMT -5
Freedom Fighters #3July-August 1976 (April 6, 1976) $.30  Cover Art: Dick Giordano, main image; Ric Estrada (Penciller), Mike Royer (Inker), Uncle Sam logo figure Untitled 17 pages Gerry Conway (Editor), Martin Pasko (Writer), Ramona Fradon (Penciller), Vince Colletta [as Juan Canale] (Inker), no lettering credit, Liz Berube (Colorist) FC: The Black Condor, Doll Man, The Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, The Ray, Uncle Sam, teamed as the Freedom Fighters SC: David Pearson Intro: NYPD Chief Frank Connelly (last name revealed in next issue) Intro: Skragg the Super-Sniper (Arthur T. “Ted” Sommar, dies in this story) Intro: Kylor and Nimak SynopsisThe Freedom Fighters escape the police cordon thrown around the late Raphael Van Zandt's mansion. The following morning, in “the New York suburb of Larchmont,” lawyer Ted Sommar goes mad and murders his wife. Hiding in an abandoned loft, the embattled liberators of Earth-X regret confiding in DA Pearson, who has distributed wanted posters exposing their civilian identities all over the city. Their only hope of clearing their names is to track down the Ghost Gang. Doll Man jerryrigs a device that uses Phantom Lady's intangibility and Ray's light powers to create a “cloak of invisibility” that will allow the FF to search for the gang unnoticed. The invisible Freedom Fighters interrupt a robbery at Penn Station. Ted Sommar obliviously wanders through the scene of the battle. Kylor and Nimak, two “boy scouts” from the anti-matter world of Qward, transform the crazed killer into the super-powerful Skragg as “their evil deed of the day.” Now armed with powerful alien weaponry, Skragg blasts away at everything in sight. His war with the FF continues atop the World Trade Center, ending only when Skragg falls to his death. Realizing Doll Man rented the loft under his real name, the fugitive super-heroes move on before the authorities notice. Meeting MinutesThe Freedom Fighters abandon the cloak of invisibility after this issue. Although no explanation is given, they must have decided its side effects — which included negating Phantom Lady's powers and turning the Ray intangible at the very moment he was needed to save Skragg's life — were not worth its benefits. The Good GuysThe Ray's first name, Lanfor, is revealed in this issue. His last name is again spelled ‘Terril’. Fashion WatchThe Black Condor's boots are consistently depicted cavalry-style. The Human Bomb's costume is baggy once more. Phantom Lady wears her blackout ray projector on her left wrist throughout this story. The Ray is depicted without his costume's gloves in one panel. Points to PonderUncle Sam reads Skragg his rights in this story. Either the American Supreme Court of Earth-X was able to rule on Miranda v. Arizona before the Axis won World War II in 1968 or Sam payed close attention when he was arrested in the first issue.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2015 17:02:16 GMT -5
Reading thru these posts (& the previous thread about E2) - I realized how much I LOVED Earth-Two! I probably read over 90% of the Earth-Two stories.
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Post by foxley on Jan 10, 2015 17:36:54 GMT -5
Lanfor?!?!
Is that even a name?
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Post by Hoosier X on Jan 10, 2015 17:39:04 GMT -5
That was the last of 'em, so 5 total. The Haney/Aparo B & B team were all about repeat team-ups (Green Arrow, Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men all showed up a lot in the same time-frame) - Haney always swore that he just kept reusing the co-stars that sold, so maybe WIldcat was secretly super-popular. And Sgt. Rock and the Metal Men were some of his top sellers as co-stars? That really surprises me, even for the 70s. The Metal Men were super-popular when they first appeared in the early 1960s. I've heard it was one of DC's best-selling titles for a period in the 1960s, selling more copies than Batman but not as many as most of the Superman titles.
The title lagged later in the 1960s but I bet the publisher wanted to keep the Metal Men in the public eye, hoping for enough interest to revive the title.
I can't remember where I read that. If I can find it online I'll link to it.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jan 10, 2015 17:49:00 GMT -5
I found this data for sales figures for 1965. I was a little off. Metal Men was beat by a bunch of Superman books, and also Justice League and Batman. But then check out 1964 to see how many non-DC comics are in the Top Ten. (And I don't think Batman is even included on the 1964 list.) |
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