Tag: JLA

A Look Back at Action Comics #481 (1978)

A Look Back at Action Comics #481 (1978)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1970s arts and culture enthusiasts, DC Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1978 to take a close look at a part of the DC Comics universe through a tale of the Action Comics monthly series.

Believe it or not, there were times when Superman used advanced technology and machinery to achieve his goals, to win a battle or at least survive. This is something we people today can relate with since a lot us have smartphones and computers being used daily. As for the Man of Steel, there was a time when I saw an episode of Super Friends on TV in which a very vulnerable Superman had no choice but to use his personal flying vehicle called the Supermobile to travel and do something. It turns out, the Supermobile itself started in comic books.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics , published in 1978 by DC Comics with a story written by Cary Bates and drawn by Curt Swan.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins on a city street as Amazo (who recently gained the powers of Justice League members in a previous encounter) is about to strike a weakened Superman and Professor Ivo (who is responsible for Amazo) in front of many people. Amazo strikes but ends up smashing the part of the road as his targets vanished.

It turns out Superman and the professor were teleported safely all the way into the Fortress of Solitude. With his powers gone due to red radiation, Superman revealed that he made some preparations in relation to Amazo’s eventual rampage….

Quality

Exposition about the Supermobile in this page showing the trapped Justice League members.

This early, I want to point out that this comic book is not merely a shallow tale designed to introduce the Supermobile in lazy fashion. In fact, there is a lot of work done by the Bates-Swan duo here and this includes plot build-up backed with payoffs, lots of details that were revealed and, most notably, the story has a solid structure complete with smooth execution.

This story was preceded by an unfortunate series of events in which Amazo gained the powers of the Justice League members and had them trapped in space, while Superman got hit by red radiation and managed to get out for a new fighting chance. Here, Superman is powerless and vulnerable, and the fact that Amazo is so powerful, the unveiling and use of the Supermobile is clearly justified. Amazo himself is a fine example of a scientific creation gone wrong and seem inspired by the monster of Frankenstein in literature.

By looking close at the details, the dialogue and the execution of event, this is clearly not a rushed job to introduce the Supermobile. It is a sufficient story on its own and it even delivers a good amount of superhero spectacle to satisfy readers.

Conclusion

Superman and the professor inside the Fortress of Solitude.

Action Comics (1978) is indeed a satisfying and fun read. The build-up leading to the Supermobile’s debut is sufficient and the creators went on to keep building up the plot with Amazo getting bigger as a threat to not only against Superman but also against the Justice League. The Supermobile’s debut is justified and definitely it is not a cheap addition to the plot. The idea of Superman using a personal transport looked silly on face value but this comic book proved it is believable and sensible.

Overall, Action Comics (1978) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Superman #74 (1992)

A Look Back at Superman #74 (1992)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a key chapter in the post-Crisis era of DC Comics through a Superman comic book.

To be more specific, this retro review goes into one of the chapters of the Death of Superman storyline showing more of Doomsday’s rampage but before the climax of the battle with Superman. I’m talking about the 74th issue of the Superman monthly series of the time.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #74, published in 1992 by DC Comics with a story written and illustrated by Dan Jurgens.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Ice and Maxima in the presence of a suffering Blue Beetle who just got hurt badly by Doomsday. While Ice expresses concern for Blue Beetle, Maxima could only care less about him stating that he shall perish as a warrior fallen in battle and that there is no greater honor one can attain. After Ice pleaded her to help Blue Beetle and realize the need to help others who have fallen, Maxima then uses her power to help Blue Beetle to safety. Ice then proceeds to another direction to stop Doomsday.

Meanwhile, a young guy named Mitch arrives home feeling bad about his situation. His mother is taking care of his infant sibling. After a tense talk between them, Ice suddenly crashes into their home. Mitch and his mother look outside and see Doomsday (still covered in a space suit with only his left arm unrestrained as seen in Superman: The Man of Steel #18) carrying a damaged car with his left arm.  

Suddenly Doomsday notices something – the arrival of Booster Gold and Superman…

Quality

Superman struck really hard by Doomsday!

Apart from being a build-up chapter of the Death of Superman storyline, this comic book is notable for two things: It has the first-ever encounter between Superman and Doomsday in comic book history. Second is the reveal of Doomsday’s face and other physical features as a result of his space suit and restraints getting torn.

The first-ever Superman-Doomsday encounter here is symbolic as it happened just minutes after the Justice League America (JLA) got overwhelmed by the unstoppable creature from outer space. While Superman had his TV interview, his JLA teammates failed miserably during their encounter with Doomsday (as told in Justice League America #69). By the time the Man of Steel and the creature meet, the stage was set for readers to find out once and for all who is more powerful between them.

Superman’s leadership is also emphasized in this story. The JLA in this issue does not have DC’s most famous superheroes as members but Ice, Maxima, Fire, Booster Gold, Bloodwynd and Guy Gardner functioned well and added nicely to the build-up of this storyline.

There is a lot of superhero spectacle to enjoy here but the most noticeable visual features are the scenes of destruction which strongly symbolize Doomsday’s immense strength, violent nature and complete disregard of both life and logic. The showing of an American family coming close to death in the presence of Doomsday remains disturbing to see.

Lastly, I should state the big reveal of Doomsday’s face and other physical features is excellent and even timeless. There is this undeniable combination of fright and intimidation that Dan Jurgens visualized here. In fact, the big reveal (which happened after Superman and the JLA combined their attacks on the creature) alone is a solid reason to read this comic book.  

Conclusion

Doomsday the unstoppable force that completely disregards life and cannot be reasoned with.

Even as a build-up issue of the Death of Superman storyline, Superman #74 (1992) is still a great read on its own. Not only did it mark the first-ever encounter between Superman and Doomsday in the history of comics, it also emphasized how vulnerable and inferior the superheroes here really are. There is also the symbolism of Doomsday as the unstoppable being that completely disregards life (and can never be reasoned with) and still Dan Jurgens managed to spare some room to symbolize how the superheroes struggled in trying to stop the creature and take care of the helpless whenever they can.

Overall, Superman #74 (1992) is highly recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

George Perez (1954-2022)

George Perez (1954-2022)

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George Perez, the incredible comic book artist who made major contributions to illustrated literature (especially the superhero comic book genre), sadly passed away due to complications related to pancreatic cancer. He was 67-years-old and I can say that superhero comic book art and dynamic expressions will not be the same without him.

George Perez with the two Wonder Woman plastic models. (photo source – DC Comics Facebook page)

Already there were comic book industry figures who reacted to the death of the legendary Perez. DC Comics co-publisher and legendary creator Jim Lee paid tribute stating, “We creators may all have access to the same tools of the trade: pen, paper and imagination, but what George could do with his prodigious talents was off the charts.”

For his part, Rob Liefeld stated, “I’ll remember George for his innovative and prolific storytelling. Thank you for all the great memories. Rest In Peace, George Perez.”

For the newcomers reading this as well as those who are simply unaware of Perez’s legacy, he was responsible for visualizing DC Comics’ 1985 epic maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths (note: he drew countless characters complete with varied settings or environments in high detail) and redefining Wonder Woman (note: he also wrote the stories) which made her a more essential pop culture icon. George Perez also worked for Marvel Comics over many projects and was chosen to illustrate the memorable 2003 JLA/Avengers crossover series of Marvel and DC. Perez also worked with other publishers such as Malibu Comics for several Ultraverse comic books and Image Comics for Crimson Plague and Witchblade. In recent years, he was responsible for Sirens published by BOOM! Studios.

For me, Wonder Woman was best defined during the post-Crisis era of DC Comics which involved George Perez and Len Wein who wrote the early issues of the Wonder Woman monthly series in the late 1980s.

In his decades-long career in comics, Perez unsurprisingly earned varied awards and honors (references here, here, here and here to name a few).

I should say that George Perez is a long-time favorite comic book illustrator of mine. I enjoyed reading the superhero comic books he illustrated and I love his art style on the characters, the environments and crowds. If there is anything I love about Perez’s art, it is his distinct style along with his implementation of high levels of details on the characters, objects, creatures and surroundings. Perez is also known to capture the distinct visual elements of superhero characters such as Spider-Man’s costume and his spaghetti-like web, Superman’s physique and distinct letter S, Prime’s overly muscular body and more. Every time Perez is involved as artist, the result is almost always a visual feast that often adds punch to the script prepared.

When I was still actively collecting comic books back in the 1990s, I often get excited whenever I learned that George Perez illustrated upcoming comic books. In 1992, he drew Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect (2 books) which was mind-blowing and intriguing for me! In 1993, I became a fan of the newly launched Ultraverse of Malibu Comics and I got very excited to learn that Perez was hired for their major UV crossover Break-Thru (2 issues). Perez also drew one issue of Prime and most of the early issues of the UV team UltraForce (issues #0, #1, #3, #4, #5 and #6). If you want to see Perez draw ALL the characters of the Ultraverse, you should read the 2-issue Break-Thru storyline.

A page from Break-Thru showing just some of the many Ultraverse characters Perez illustrated. This was published before the release of UltraForce.

Speaking of UltraForce, check out this video by Crypto Comics (with observations on Perez’s art works)…

Going back to George Perez’s amazing run on Wonder Woman, I urge you to watch the video below…

For me, the most defining stories of Wonder Woman ever told in any art form are still the comics that Perez wrote (note: he co-wrote stories with Greg Potter and Len Wein respectively on the early issues) and illustrated during the post-Crisis era of DC Comics. Check out my retro reviews of Wonder Woman 1980s comics on this website.

Truly, George Perez will be missed by a lot of people and his countless pieces of works will be revisited in the foreseeable future. In closing this piece, posted below are varied works (comic book covers and interior art) done by the late creator through the decades for your viewing pleasure and learning. This is a tribute to Perez and may he rest in peace!

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Note: All images shown are properties of their respective companies.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/