Unca Cheeks the Toy Wonder's Silver Age Comics Web Site!

by William Brackeen

God bless Mark Waid.

I mean it. To have proposed a project the size of the recent SILVER AGE Event at DC, where they've made a habit of spitting derisively at the merest mention of the words "Silver Age," these last few years, had to take real stones.

I gobbled these suckers up fairly ravenously. The covers were beautiful and most, if not all, were fun reads. But, then, I'm an easy mark for this sort of thing.

The basic premise was simple enough (and had even been done before, after a fashion; "Operation: Jail The Justice League," anyone?): bad guys switch bodies with the good guys. In the initial "bookend," Waid and artist Terry Dodson weave a masterful and oh-so-fun tapestry which ended with our heroes, the Justice League Of America, locked in the bodies of their worst enemies; while said bad guys got to traipse about in the heroes' bodies, with all the attendant perks that brings.

It seems this cosmic baddie, Agamemno (in the grand tradition of JLA villains having a name that ends in "o," a la Starro, Despero, Kanjar Ro, Professor Ivo, Amazo, etcetera, ad infinitum), needs the JLA to gather up some cosmic artifacts to make him the despot of the universe.

Cannily, he realizes they probably won't be very keen on the idea, so he comes up with the body switching ploy...

... and away we go.

The opening salvo ends with the body displaced heroes vowing to soil their own hard-won reputations, so as to hamper the villains plans and with the villains heading out to snatch the thingamajigs that Agamemno needs. Overall appraisal: Gem.

We then leapfrog over to the Mark Millar-written and Scot Kolins penciled JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA one-shot, which was, to be kind, not as good.

There's a nice bit where the villains unmask themselves and discover their enemies secret identities (including the revelation that Catwoman and Green Lantern have knocked boots, in the past); but Millar sort of misses the spirit of the project, with this issue being far and away the most violent and unpleasant of the lot; featuring a body count in the literal millions. Overall appraisal: Lump of coal.

Hopping over to Challengers Mountain, we catch up with Karl Kesel and Drew Johnson's loving take on our favorite adventurers living on borrowed time. Snapper Carr, acting under orders from the body switched villains, puts the Challs on the alert for the good guys.

They tangle with Atom-in-Chronos'-body, and -- after getting shrunk down to "Atom"-ic size -- dope out that Chronos ain't exactly what he seems to be, and everyone makes nice.

To keep the Challs from going boom due to the shrink ray, Chronos- Atom drops them in the Time Pool, to suspend the passage of time while he repairs the ray; and, in the meantime, everyone is treated to a premonition of unknown heroes who are fated to save the day. Overall appraisal: Diamond in the rough.

Moving over to the TEEN TITANS issue, I have to agree with Unca Cheeks that the best thing about this one is the cover. The book would have been improved immensely by Nick Cardy's art gracing the interior, as well as the cover.

Marv Wolfman's script is evocative of the early TITANS stuff, and it's a decent little yarn about a criminally overzealous sheriff keeping the peace by brainwashing the citizens of his town; but it's ever so diluted by the intrusion of subplots from the other books, such as Batman-in-Penguin's- body trying to get the attention of the kids on every other page. Overall appraisal: Cubic Zirconium.

Meanwhile, over in Littleville, CO: we join Robby Reed, wielder of the amazing "H-Dial." DIAL "H" FOR HERO was one of DC's all-time strangest strips, though an utterly charming one. Basically, Robby would dial H-E-R-O on his magic dial, and could become any number of random super-powered characters.

Waid and co-conspirator Barry Kitson effortlessly capture the essence of the character, and move the overall plotline along beautifully. Robby has to tangle with a body-switched Martian Manhunter, who's using Dr. Light's array of photonic gizmos to soil his own rep so the authorities and other super-types will be on the alert. Overall appraisal: Gem.

Back in Central City, we get a mishmash FLASH offering from Brian Augustyn and artists Ty Templeton and Norm Breyfogle. There's a pedestrian short lead story, unconnected to the rest of the "event" featuring lamebrain villain, the Turtle.

Then the second tale is marred by, as with the TITANS issue, being as much (or more) about the other bodily-displaced heroes than the title character, himself. Overall appraisal: Black star of India.

Down the turnpike in Midway City, the DOOM PATROL find themselves the target's of anti super-hero hysteria whipped up by Lex Luthor; supremely ironic, as Luthor then entreats the DP for aid against the now-villainous JLA. Seems Luthor-Man has had info leaked to DP villains Garguax and General Immortus about Luthor's "Anti-JLA" weapons.

Eventually, the baddies are put away; and the DP has the weapons, which is what Supes had in mind all along. Overall appraisal: Gem.

Here we head over to Gotham City, where we find a winning combination, Bob Haney, The Metal Men, and Penguin-in-Batman's-body; as well as Black Canary and Green Arrow, similarly switched with Catwoman and Felix Faust. Now that's cookin' with GAS -- !

There's almost too much good stuff here to go over. Haney's snappy dialogue; bits with Green Faust trying to cast magic spells, without the accompanying and requisite sorcerous know-how; the Penguin trying to pull off his Batman act; the Metal Men getting turned human, in an obvious slap at the last (horrible) METAL MEN mini-series; Kevin Maguire's beautiful art; it's all good. Overall appraisal: Gem.

Now we come to the best part.

I make no secret that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool GREEN LANTERN fan.

I'm also a dyed-in-the-wool Kurt Busiek fan.

I also deplore the way DC has treated the Emerald Gladiator, over the last few years. Every appearance, apparently, has to be marred with some sort of mention of "The story which shall not be named in this article."

Not so here.

This is a prime example of "how it oughta be."

To wit: upon opening the book, we're treated to a brief recap of the SILVER AGE storyline, so that this entry can be read, appreciated and admired as a "stand alone," if need be.

Then we get a full force treatment of Hal Jordan as he's supposed to be: honest, heroic, and fearless. (So much so, in fact, that he nearly defeats the entire body-switched JLA by himself.)

We get a great flashback battle with GL villain Sonar, which provides GL with the key to victory.

Plus: Hal even reverses the body switch before the villains regain the upper hand, using their ill-gotten gains; thereby, Saving the Entire Known Universe Once More.

"Kyle" whom...?

Overall appraisal: Hope Diamond.

Geoff Johns is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. His JSA is a wonderful read each month; I'm digging his FLASH, so far: and really enjoyed his STARS AND S.T.R.I.P.E.

So it's no surprise, really, that his SHOWCASE issue featuring a new 7 Soldiers of Victory was a charming and fun read. Johns brings together Adam Strange, Batgirl, Metamorpho, Blackhawk, Mento, Deadman, and a brand new Shining Knight to oppose the (now revealed) villains; and he does so in a completely unforced and organic manner. Overall appraisal: Gem.

The whole thing comes to a close in the SILVER AGE 80 PAGE GIANT. The heroes are stymied at every turn because -- thanks to the villainous theft of the Thanagarian Absorbascon -- their every move is known to the bad guys as they (or even before) they can make it.

Lots of good stuff here, including: a great shot of the Hawkmen descending from the sky; surpassed only by the sight of the Green Lantern Corp, entire, arriving from above; and the terrific way Waid and artist Eduardo Baretto bring Robby Reed back into the story in a pivotal manner. Overall appraisal: Gem.

Now: bring on the Bronze Age! I want a Grell WARLORD; and CLAW THE UNCONQUERED; and THE SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS; and FREEDOM FIGHTERS; and OMAC; and... and... and -- !

[UNCA CHEEKS' ASIDE: Unca thinks this is -- for real; no foolin' -- the single greatest notion "Big" Bill's ever had, comics-wise; and implores Mark, Kurt, Tom, Geoff et. al. not to forget JONAH HEX; SHADE, THE CHANGING MAN; and PREZ, If and When.]

William Brackeen may be reached at WmBrackeen@aol.com, where he lends some much needed class to wholly undeserving message boards.

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE ONE)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE TWO)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE THREE)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE FOUR)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE SIX)

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