MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM LONGBOX JUNK!

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who spends a bit of their valuable time here reading my ramblings about comic books that nobody ever asked me to write.

I'll tell you true, folks. . .life in America is getting a little strange to say the least.  And trust me, it's gonna get worse.  There's some pretty important political stuff that's going to be happening in 2022, and it's sure to make the cracks between us grow even wider than they are now.  Worse, there's going to be NO way to escape it without going completely off the grid.  

BUT. . .

I want to ask anyone reading this to try not to let these things consume their lives.  There are other things besides politics and pandemics to shift your gaze to from time to time.  That's right. . .I'm talkin' about comic books!

"Come ON!" You mutter in my general direction. "Comic books? At a time like THIS?"

YES! Exactly at a time like this!

Look.  I'm not gonna try to downplay the importance of this or that.  I'm just asking that you take a break every now and then.  Take a deep breath. . .step back.  Head on over to your local comic shop.  

Get over there with those back issue boxes.  Get down on the floor (Trust me. . .the best stuff is ALWAYS on the bottom row, where people are too lazy or self-conscious to get down there).  Start digging.  Just relax! Have some FUN!  The politics and whatnot will still be there waiting for you later on.  They aren't going anywhere.

This is my Christmas wish for everyone reading this right now:  Don't forget to have a little fun next year.  Maybe not comics. . .maybe something else.  That's fine.  Do what makes you happy, but PLEASE don't let your life sink completely down into the darkness and the drama that is life in the 2020's.

I'll be right here to help with that in my own small way.  Nobody asked me to, but here I am anyway.

Longbox Junk 2022! Where the comics are cheap and the reviews are free!

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - Silver Surfer/ Superman

Welcome to Longbox Junk, where the comics are cheap and the reviews are free!

There's been a bit of sad news lately in the world of comics.  The great George Perez has announced that he won't be with us for much longer, due to terminal cancer.  I'm very sure that I'm not alone in considering Mr. Perez to be a living legend among modern comic creators.  He's regarded by many as one of the greatest modern comic artists, and rightly so.  

Judging from the outpouring of fan support and tribute I'm seeing on the internet lately, it's clear that Perez is a man and a talent that will definitely be missed.  I would also like to show my appreciation for George Perez by setting aside my originally-planned review for now and taking the time to spotlight some of his work here. . .but with a bit of a Longbox Junk twist!

Most of the tributes I'm seeing focus on Mr. Perez's fantastic art.  And why shouldn't they?  It's what he's known for. . .fantastic scenes packed SO full of characters and detail that they invite lingering on the page just to take it all in.  It's his trademark and what put him on a well-deserved pedestal among the great modern comic artists.

SO. . .

I'm gonna spotlight a comic without ONE SINGLE PANEL of that signature Perez art everyone loves him for!  That's right. . .I'm going to take a look at George Perez the comic WRITER in this edition of Longbox Junk!  

I want to show another side of this great, multi-talented creator that fans of his art might not be so much aware of by taking a look at a 1996 collaboration between DC and Marvel wherein the two rival companies came together to tell a cosmic tale of titanic trickery across two universes involving two of their mightiest heroes. . .Superman and The Silver Surfer!  

Ready?  Let's do it!

SILVER SURFER/ SUPERMAN

Marvel/ DC (1996)

Folded out to show the villains on the back side

POP!

SCRIPT: George Perez

PENCILS: Ron Lim

INKS: Terry Austin

COVER: Ron Lim & Terry Austin

THE COVER:

I'm actually not a huge fan of Superman (or Silver Surfer, for that matter), but just LOOK at that cover!  Superman is my favorite part of it!  He's a bright image of strength, power, and heroism as he boldly flies across the front of this comic!  And then there's the Silver Surfer. . .a gleaming, powerful being capturing the power cosmic as he speeds along the bottom of the page!  Such a great cover, giving both heroes a their own chance to shine.  Ron Lim knocks it out of the park before we even get to the first page!  

THE STORY:

We begin our tale with Superman in the skies over Metropolis, enjoying the end of an uneventful patrol of the city. . .

. . .And with the Silver Surfer, exploring the galaxy and being surprised to discover a planet where once there was only a barren asteroid.

WHEN SUDDENLY. . .

Superman finds himself transported in the blink of an eye to what seems to be Krypton!  The people seem to be in some sort of panic and Superman is attacked by Kryptonian security forces, who believe the strangely-clad man who just appeared among them is part of an invading force!

Superman tries to fight off the security forces, a bit more of a task than he's used to, with his powers greatly reduced by the Red Kryptonian sun. . .

As Superman tries to escape, the leader of the invading alien force shows himself, a strange, hybrid creature who calls himself "Super Skrull".  There are several odd things, such as Super Skrull knowing Superman's Kryptonian name of Kal-El and that the creature speaks English, but Superman doesn't have time to ponder them as the Super Skrull challenges him to one on one combat!

IN THE MEANTIME. . .

The Silver Surfer is surprised to find himself yanked from deep space and onto the planet Earth, where he once made his home.  But the city he finds himself in is unfamiliar, and his cosmic powers are somehow going out of his control!

As Silver Surfer tries to regain control of his powers, the citizens of Metropolis panic as they realize they have been somehow cut off from the rest of the world.  Lex Luthor's successor, The Contessa, pinpoints the alien Silver Surfer as the cause and is determined to either gain his power for herself, or destroy him. . .

Contessa send robotic minions to take down the Surfer, and as they fight, he realizes he still doesn't have complete control over his powers.  Not wanting to harm civilians, Silver Surfer makes a dash for outer space in an attempt to end the fight. . .

. . .But he is confused when he flies past what should be the limits of Earth's atmosphere and he finds that he still isn't in space, but crashes into an invisible barrier! 

IN THE MEANTIME. . .

The story shifts back to Superman as he battles The Super Skrull.  Weakened by his exposure to Krypton's red sun, Superman finds himself being badly beaten by the alien creature.  But Superman isn't one to back down from a fight when innocent lives are at stake, even a losing one!  

The Super Skrull offers to lower his defenses and give Superman one good punch.  As the alien creature gloats about winning some sort of game, Superman takes the punch, but is thrown back by the Skrull. . .whose body becomes living elastic!

When Superman crashes into a wall and debris showers down on the onlookers, a strange thing happens!  Super Skrull begins to rage about how harming innocent bystanders is against the rules, and he uses his elastic body to save them!

Superman realizes that something is definitely wrong.  The Kryptonians begin to flicker and change form.  Superman now understands that he's been under some sort of mental control and he's not on Krypton at all!  

BACK WITH THE SILVER SURFER. . .

After crashing through the invisible barrier above Metropolis, the Surfer is astounded to discover himself standing in a strange place, with a glass-encased miniature city of Metropolis in front of him.  A hole in the glass case is where he must have broken his way through. . .

As he ponders the strange scene before him, the Surfer is attacked by the automated defenses of something called "The Fortress".  He grabs the bottled city of Metropolis and tries to fight his way out, all the while being taunted by a mysterious voice!  As he battles his way through the defenses, he comes to realize that the voice is actually a living being playing a deadly game with him!

BACK WITH SUPERMAN. . .

The illusion of Krypton dispelled, Superman takes on the Super Skrull with his full powers. . .but as they fight, Superman reveals that he knows that he's actually fighting his old foe, Mr. Mxyzptlk!  But the joke is on Superman when his opponent instead reveals himself to be a strange little creature calling himself The Impossible Man!

Impossible Man tells Superman that he and Mr. Mxyzptlk met in the space between dimensions and became friends.  They agreed to play a game where the two tricksters would swap their greatest adversaries into their own different universes, with the winner being the one who convinced their opponent they were fighting their own enemy first.  Superman had believed he was fighting Mr. Mxyzptlk, so Impossible Man declares himself winner!

Now that he understands he's been used as part of an interdimensional game, Superman demands to be returned to his own universe.  Impossible Man tells him that won't be possible until a winner has been declared and he combines his powers with Mr. Mxyzptlk to swap Superman and the Silver Surfer back to where they belong. 

 Impossible Man leaves to inform Mr. Mxyzptlk of his victory, leaving Superman stranded on the strange planet.  Shortly afterward, Superman is horrified to discover an ACTUAL Skrull invasion force on its way!

When Impossible Man teleports to Superman's universe, he discovers an enraged Silver Surfer protecting Metropolis from Mr. Mxyzptlk.  As he declares himself the winner of their game, Impossible Man realizes that Mr. Mxyzptlk has broken the rules by putting innocent lives in danger.  As Mxyzptlk mocks Impossible Man for being so easily tricked, he flies into a rage and the two begin to fight!

The two tricksters battle, quickly shifting in and out of the forms of their respective universe's greatest heroes. . .Hulk vs. Doomsday, Plastic Man vs. Super Skrull, Wonder Woman vs. Wolverine, Giant Man vs. The Atom, Cyclops vs. Batman, Spider-Man vs. Mister Miracle, Namor vs. Aquaman, and finally Lobo vs. Galactus!  

The battle finally ends when Silver Surfer steps in and uses his powers, demanding that the game be ended and he and Superman be switched back to their own universe.  Impossible Man brings Superman to the Fortress of Solitude so that he can testify Impossible Man won the game, forcing Mr. Mxyzptlk to concede. . .

With all four of the players now in the same space and the game ended, Superman and Silver Surfer agree to help Impossible Man and Mr. Mxyzptlk clean up their mess by taking care of the Skrull invaders and putting Metropolis back where it belongs. . .while the two tricksters agree to send Superman and Silver Surfer back to where they belong.

And so, working together, Metropolis is returned to its normal place. . .

. . .And the Skrull invasion force is sent into retreat.

At the end of it all, Superman and Silver Surfer have a moment between themselves to reflect on the strange adventure.  They part as friends and hope to meet again, but have been told by Impossible Man and Mr. Mxyzptlk that their memories of this encounter will soon disappear completely.  

The End.

THE REVIEW:

Okay, there it is.  Superman and Silver Surfer being used as pawns in a game between two interdimensional tricksters.  Let's break it on down!

I'm gonna be totally honest and up front here.  I intended this review as a tribute to the great George Perez with a bit of a Longbox Junk twist, and the takeaway here is that Perez is known as one of the greatest comic artists and not as one of the great comic writers for a reason.

Hold on! Don't get me wrong here!  I'm not saying his writing is bad at all.  I'm just saying that there's a reason he's better known as a legendary artist.  This is actually a really fun story!  

I love a good "one and done" comic story and this one definitely fits the bill.  It's not deep.  It's not particularly memorable.  The status quo (at the time) of the two heroes doesn't budge an inch.  It just tells a fun tale of two heroes being caught up in a strange game.  

The way that Perez gets Superman and Silver Surfer into each others' universes IS a bit convoluted, and I feel that there must have been a more straightforward story to be told on that end, but other than that, this is just a colorful, action-packed, FUN comic!  And really. . .when it comes down to it, isn't being fun sometimes enough reason to like a comic book?  In my humble opinion, I say YES!

So George Perez does a decent job writing this thing, let's take a look at the art.

So, Ron Lim has a mighty hard row to hoe being the artist on a comic where George Perez is involved.  Let's face it, when most people see Perez's name on the cover of a comic, they're gonna assume he's got something to do with the art.  Nope. . .not here.

Fortunately, Lim steps up to the plate with confidence and knocks it right out of the park!  This comic is simply gorgeous to look at!  Lim has a simple, classic style with nice clean lines and a great touch on facial expressions that brings a lot of character to this comic. 

 There are plenty of little "wow!" moments to be found here. . .Just scroll up and look at some of the pages I scanned to see a few.  My favorites mostly revolve around the Silver Surfer.  His introduction to the story, flying through the stars right into the readers face is simply fantastic!

CONCLUSION

George Perez the writer isn't quite on the same level as George Perez the artist, but overall, this is a comic that is so much fun to read that I don't even care.  The story is fun, the art is fun, this is just a FUN comic from cover to cover!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the dramatic stories of our four-color heroes. . .their loves, their losses, their titanic conflicts, their inner angst. . .that we forget that comics can be FUN.  This story is a perfect breath of fresh air.  A nice little break. 

 Is it the best story ever written?  No.  Not even close.  But is it FUN?  Yes.  And for that, I give George Perez credit where credit is due.  He may be known more as an artist, and he's definitely going to be remembered that way by most comic fans, but he can sure write a fun story when he wants to!

All in all, I found this one shot story to be a nugget of Longbox Junk gold.  Check it out if you just want to read a fun little story that shows a different side of superstar artist George Perez. And not for nothin' but let's not forget page after page of some very nice art by Ron Lim.  It's just a really good comic from end to end.

Up Next. . .

The review I ORIGINALLY had planned. 

A four-issue series that ponders the following question:  What if legendary martial artist Bruce Lee didn't actually die, but was frozen in suspended animation and revived today?  Join me next time and we'll find out!

It's Bruce Lee: The Dragon Rises from Magnetic Press (Yeah, I've never heard of them either)

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - Conan The Barbarian #158

Welcome to Longbox Junk, where I write comic book reviews that nobody asked me to!

When it comes to comic books, I'll admit that I'm much more of a fan of non-superhero characters.  Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to be said for a great Batman or Captain America story, but give me a Lone Ranger, Green Hornet, Spirit or Zorro story and I'm a very happy man!

Conan The Barbarian is right up there in the top ten list of my favorite non-superhero characters.  I think one of the things I like best about Conan is that he's a deceptively simple character that can be used in almost ANY kind of story!  

Conan fits right into horror stories, comedy stories, epic adventures, small character pieces, mysteries, heck. . .at the time of this writing, Marvel even has Conan teaming up with superheroes in the mainstream Marvel Universe (in the ongoing "Savage Avengers" series) and they're STILL great Conan stories!

Marvel's impressive original 275 issue (plus 12 annuals) run on Conan The Barbarian is a pretty good testament to just how versatile the character is.  Even better for a Longbox Junker such as myself, a hefty run like that means (with the exception of the earlier, more "valuable" issues) you can find a LOT of great Conan comics in the bargain bins.  Maybe not as ubiquitous as other dollar box fillers, but there's plenty of them out there to be found.

Which brings us to the issue at hand!

Coming in at roughly the halfway point of Marvel's run on the series, we have a tale that leans toward the horror genre, wherein we find Conan the Barbarian during his days as a wandering mercenary encountering a savage beast with a tragic secret.  Let's take a look, shall we?

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

#158

Marvel (1984)

NIGHT OF THE WOLF

SCRIPT: Michael Fleisher & John Buscema

PENCILS: John Buscema

INKS: Rudy Nebres

COVER: John Buscema

THE COVER:

The late, great John Buscema was a Bronze Age heavyweight and he doesn't disappoint with this cover! The colors are rich and inviting, the composition is perfect.  I really like the contrast between the background and the shadows, which give us a hint of the story inside.  

This cover tells a story in ONE single image and it immediately grabbed my attention when I spotted it in the bargain bin.  It's just an amazing cover all around and I'm glad I have this in my collection!  Let's get inside and see what's going on. . .

THE STORY:

We begin in the desert, witnessing a strange scene. Two horsemen pulling a box with a captive woman inside across the sand as she cries out for help. . .

Luckily for her, Conan the Barbarian just happens to be passing by within earshot of her cries and decides to investigate.  As the woman begs for her life, Conan demands she be freed.  A fight breaks out and Conan easily dispatches her captors before letting the woman out of the box.

Not long after rescuing the woman, her father arrives on the scene.  He initially thinks Conan was one of her captors, but she tells him of Conan's brave rescue of her.  

Her father informs Conan that a certain Sheik Abdul Zu Fadh has been obsessed with gaining the hand of his daughter for over a year and has become enraged at her rejection of him.  This is not the first time he's had her kidnapped.  

They all return to her father's camp and prepare for a celebration in Conan's honor.

Later, at the celebration, we learn the girl's name is Kahlima and her grateful father is Ali Maksoud.  After dancing for her barbarian savior, Kahlima departs for the evening. . .

Not long thereafter, eerie howls rend the night air.  Conan is unconcerned, but Ali Maksoud seems to be mysteriously more worried than he should be.  After he departs to check on the noise, the back of the tent is ripped open and a huge wolf-like creature attacks!

As Conan fights for his life against the supernaturally strong creature, Ali Maksoud and his men rush to his aid, barely managing to pull the monster off of him.  The creature flees into the night.  Conan is ready to give chase, but Maksoud convinces Conan to leave it be, as he fears an ambush that might cost him more men.  Conan reluctantly agrees.

Come the dawn, Conan is roused by shouts of alarm.  Kahlima is missing again!  All signs point to another abduction by Sheik Abdul Zu Fahd.  Conan joins Ali Maksoud and his men as they set off to follow the trail of the kidnappers. . .

After a long chase through the day and into the evening hours, Conan and company finally discover the camp of the kidnappers, as well as Kahlima bound to the rocks.  Conan is wary of an ambush and his misgivings come true as a large band of armed men appear, led by none other than Sheik Abdul Zu Fahd!

Conan mocks the Sheik for having to kidnap women he wants to marry.  But Zu Fahd protests that he doesn't want to marry Kahlima, but that she's responsible for the death of his only son. . .

A bloody battle between the two armed bands breaks out, but as they clash and the moon rises, Conan finally learns the truth of things as Kahlima begins to transform into the same horrific beast that attacked him the night before!

The enraged beast breaks free of its bonds and begins to attack both Zu Fahn and Ali Maksoud's men indiscriminately, sending the men into a fearful panic as Conan desperately tries to fight the creature.

Sheik Zu Fahd cries out to his men to bring him an arrow tipped with a deadly black lotus poison, but Ali Maksoud prevents him from shooting it at his transformed daughter.  Instead, he uses the arrow on her himself. . .

As the deadly poison takes effect and the creature changes back into human form, Ali Maksoud cradles his beloved daughter in his arms one last time as he tearfully explains that she was born from a night spent with a demon in disguise, and that he tried to conceal Kahlima's true nature because of his love of her.  

Conan walks away from the tragic scene without a word and rides into the desert night, reflecting that this is an event that will live on in the tales of these desert people, but as for him. . .it's just another thing to put behind him on his journey through life.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

All right, there it is. . .Conan the Barbarian and The Night of The Wolf.  Let's break it on down!

Prolific comic legend Roy Thomas wrote the lion's share of Marvel's Conan run, so it was interesting to see an issue written by someone else.  Thankfully, Michael Fleisher does a great job filling Thomas' shoes on this story!  

It's simple, it's action-packed, and it's a good, solid adventure story that leans a little into horror.  Fleisher doesn't get fancy here, and because of that, this story has the timeless feel that is a hallmark of any good Conan story.  It doesn't matter that this was written 37 years ago, it reads like it was written yesterday. . .or in the 1930's, for that matter.  A good Conan story should have that timeless feel to it, and Fleisher captures it very nicely.

To be fair, there ARE a few places where the overblown dialogue has a faint whiff of Bronze Age Marvel bombast, but it's not really distracting from the simple story at hand.  All in all a very solid "one and done" story.

Now let's talk about the art. . .

The story is solid and well done, but it's the art that's the REAL star of the show here!  Like I observed in my look at the cover of this comic, the late John Buscema was a Bronze Age heavyweight and fully deserves a place of honor in the hall of comic book legends.  It's his work that REALLY makes this story shine!

The first handful of Conan issues are a bit pricey and considered more "valuable" to collectors because of the Barry Windsor-Smith art. . .and rightly so.  But in MY extremely humble opinion, Buscema's long run as artist on the title was superior.  

When I think of Conan, it's Buscema's work that immediately comes to MY mind.  His detailed, kinetic artwork breathed life and energy into Conan's world in a way that's rarely been matched to this day.

Just LOOK at the pages I scanned above!  Every panel of this comic is a feast for the eyes!  This single issue alone is a master class in visual storytelling that a lot of modern artists could definitely take a lesson from.

CONCLUSION

A simple, action-packed story with that timeless feel needed for a good Conan tale, backed up by page after page of fantastic artwork from a comic book legend. . .what more could you want?

If you're a fan of Conan the Barbarian, you'll love this story!  If you're not a fan, this probably won't change your mind because it hits just about everything that a good Conan story should have in it.  

I hate to make myself sound old, but they just don't make comics like this anymore.  From page one to page done, this is a great example of why Bronze Age comics still hold such a big place in the heart of many comic book fans. . .and I'm one of them.

Up Next. . .

I haven't decided yet, but I WOULD like to take this opportunity on the eve of Thanksgiving to thank each and every person reading this for spending a little bit of your precious time here with me.  I am indeed sincerely thankful that there are fellow comic fans out there who like to read these reviews that nobody asked me to write.  I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

Longbox Junk - Justice #1

Welcome to Longbox Junk, the blog absolutely PACKED full of comic book reviews nobody asked me to write!

Lately, I've been getting back to the roots of Longbox Junk by focusing on some, well. . .Longbox Junk! These are the comic books that you are practically guaranteed to find while digging through just about any decent bargain bin in just about any comic shop you might find yourself in.  These forgotten relics of the 1980's and 90's are the space-filling meat and potatoes of dollar boxes across America. 

This time out, I'm taking a look at the first issue of a comic series that was part of an interesting and somewhat infamous experiment by Marvel Comics in the late 80's.  Let's talk about that for a moment before we get into the main event, shall we?  Yes, we shall!

Boiled down to the sauce, the story behind the New Universe was that Marvel Editorial was trying to come up with something big to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Marvel as we know it.  Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter came up with an outrageous idea. . .a complete shutdown of the Marvel Universe and a fresh start at issue #1 of ALL their titles (an idea later used by DC for their New 52 reboot, but THAT'S another story).

Shooter's idea was rejected because Marvel was doing pretty good at the time and why fix what ain't broken (YET. . .the 90's were just around the corner).  So he did the next best thing and suggested a whole NEW Marvel Universe. . .8 titles with new heroes and villains coming out at the same time with issue #1 that readers could jump in on at the beginning and not worry about years of past continuity.  Even better, THESE stories would be set in a more realistic world, where superheroes were extremely rare. . .a world like the one outside your window.

And so the New Universe was born!

The new line was heavily promoted, but there were problems almost from the start.  The budget was originally quite generous, but it wasn't long before Marvel's parent company (Cadence Industries at the time) decided it would rather spend money elsewhere and the budget was severely slashed to the point that almost none of the New Universe titles could maintain a consistent creative team or shipping schedule.

Within the first year of the New Universe, four of the original titles were cancelled.  The rest of the titles were so inconsistent in tone and look due to the constantly-shifting creative teams that the entire project was scrapped in 1989 with a total of 170 published issues across the line.  Jim Shooter was replaced as Editor-in-Chief by Tom De Falco halfway through the run of New Universe, and it is pretty much a given that Shooter's resignation was heavily-influenced by problems with New Universe.

Although the New Universe had its fans, and the four remaining titles after the purge of half of the line during the first year sold fairly well, it never really found a solid footing.  Today the New Universe is generally regarded as a weird relic of the short space between the end of the Bronze Age of comics and the beginning of the Modern Age of comics.  A space where more realistic stories were starting to be told for older readers, but the general comic industry (and readership) wasn't fully on board with them just yet.

And so we come to the comic at hand!

Justice is generally regarded as one of the worst New Universe titles.  Mainly because it violated the rules of a more realistic world without superpowers right out of the gate with this first issue.  Despite this, it survived the first year purge of half of the New Universe titles and went on to the finish with 32 issues. . .one of the longer-running series.  The main character also popped up here and there in Marvel comics (most notably in 1993's Spider-Man 2099) even after the end of New Universe, unlike the rest of the characters who were quietly forgotten for the most part.

 Personally, when the New Universe was on the stands, Justice was really the only title in the line I liked, which is why I decided to re-visit it for this review.  Does it still hold up after 35 years?

Let's find out!

JUSTICE #1

Marvel - New Universe (1986)

BRAVE NEW WORLD

SCRIPT: Archie Goodwin

PENCILS: Geof Isherwood

INKS: Joe Delbeato, Jack Fury, Joe Rubenstein

COVER: Geof Isherwood

THE COVER:

Not bad!  I like it!  The bold colors really make this one pop.  The blues and purples of the background really set off the main character and the title, which has a really interesting style. . .even though it makes it look like the comic is called JVSTICE.  The signature black New Universe border that makes these comics so easy to spot in the bargain bin frames everything very nicely.  Let's get inside!

THE STORY:

We begin our tale in Alphabet City, a crime-plagued area of Manhattan.  Three young hoods have just mercilessly robbed and killed an innocent woman.  We follow them as they make their escape back to their hideout. . .

As they go through their ill-gotten loot, a mysterious and oddly-dressed man suddenly arrives.  Despite the taunts of the criminals, he doesn't speak a word, and seems to be studying them with eyes that glow with a strange red light.  

When threatened by one of the hoods with a knife, the stranger blasts the three of them with a bolt of power from his hand, finally speaking, declaring "I am Justice".

As the strange man leaves and begins moving through the decaying landscape of urban New York, the scene shifts to Los Angeles, California.  

A powerful man named Damon Conquest receives an urgent telephone call informing him that someone (the reader assumes it is the strange man in New York) has survived an ambush meant to kill him, and not only did he live, but somehow he has "crossed over". 

 Damon is told that outside help is being brought in to find the man and finish the botched assassination attempt.

Returning to New York, we follow the mysterious stranger as he wanders through an East Village park.  He is confused by a world that seems to be a harsher shadow of his own, and he struggles to remember his name and purpose.  He knows he is a warrior, and that he serves the cause of Justice, but doesn't understand anything else that has happened to him.  

As the mysterious warrior interferes in a fight between a drug dealer and a prostitute, he learns about a place called "The Factory", which runs organized crime in the area.  The stranger becomes convinced that if there is a place of power nearby, then that's where he should begin trying to find answers. 

We once again shift scenes to St. Marks Place in the East Village, outside of a popular nightclub called "The Factory".  We join Rebecca Chambers and Hoyt Pittman. . .two undercover Department of Justice agents as they infiltrate the club disguised as a socialite and her chauffer.

The mysterious warrior arrives at the club at about the same time, and is somehow drawn to Chambers.  He manages to talk his way in, not realizing that Chambers' partner is following him after noticing his strange interest in her.

Upstairs, we find Chango Villalobos, the boss of the local crime family, interrogating one of his men.  We discover that they know about the Department of Justice's investigation and know the identity of Rebecca Chambers thanks to them turning another agent to their side.  They plan to set her up.

Meanwhile, down on the floor of the club, the mysterious stranger has found Chambers, dancing with a man who we learn is another agent that has already infiltrated the crime family. . .the same agent that Villalobos believes they have turned to their side.  The sight and the music triggers a flashback, where we see the warrior dancing with a woman in another time and place.  

We learn that his name is Tensen, and her name is Shamora.  As the two lovers dance alone, they are attacked by assassins!  He is struck by an unknown power. . .a blinding white light. . .and then he remembers nothing except waking up in this strange dark mirror of a world.

We return to Rebecca Chambers and Jean-Paul, the agent who is helping infiltrate the gang.  Unfortunately, they are overheard discussing their plans on a hidden camera and are attacked by Chango and his gang members!  

Tensen arrives as a shootout begins.  We see that he can form a sort of energy shield with one of his hands as he tries to protect Chambers from gunfire.

Not realizing that Jean-Paul is one of her partners, Tensen destroys him with an energy blast during the fight!  

As Chango makes his escape during the confusion of the fight, Chambers gets the drop on Tensen and takes him prisoner, intending to arrest him for the murder of her undercover partner.  

As they leave the club, Chambers' other partner arrives on the scene after hearing the gunfire.  Tensen takes advantage of the distraction and uses his non-lethal shield power to escape custody.

We follow Chango as he tries to escape the club, only to be murdered by one of his own men, who intends to take his place.  As the murderer gloats about his big future plans for the crime family, Tensen arrives and executes the mobster with a blast of energy.  Rebecca and Pittman arrive on the scene to witness the killing and once again take Tensen into custody.

At the end, we return to California, where news of the attack on the nightclub has reached Conquest.  Now that Tensen's location is known, assassins are dispatched to finish him off. 

To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:

Okay, there it is. . .Justice #1.  Let's break it on down!

With any first issue of a comic series, I expect two things.  First, does the story introduce new characters and their situations in a reader-friendly manner?  Second, does the story make me want to read the next issue?  Just TWO things.  I don't think that's too much to ask.  You'd be surprised how many first issues fail one or both of these simple things.

For the first point, Justice #1 does a good job of introducing Justice Warrior Tensen and his arrival in this strange new world.  The late, great comic legend Archie Goodwin keeps a nice aura of mystery around the character, while feeding the reader JUST enough tiny little bits of information that let you know there's more to come.  

All we know right now about Tensen is his name, that he's from another place that resembles our own world, someone tried to kill him and he somehow ended up here, and that he has some pretty brutal powers he's not afraid to use on anyone he sees as deserving it.  That may seem like a lot, but as the series moves forward, it's just scratching the surface.  There's a lot more to learn about Tensen.

The story itself is pretty simple. . .a mysterious warrior from another world arrives in our own and immediately starts leaving a body count behind as he searches for answers while running afoul of the law.  It reads almost like a Punisher story with a super powered twist.  It works in its simplicity.  Goodwin didn't try to get fancy, he just told a straightforward tale of a stranger in a strange land looking for answers.

On to the second point.  Does this first issue make me want to read the second?  Yes it does.  The simple, fast paced tale reads quickly and definitely leaves you wanting to know more about this mysterious warrior who isn't shy about blasting anyone who stands in his way.  As the series goes on into a rotating roster of writers and artists (a general downside of the entire New Universe line), things get a little shaky, but this first issue in the hands of comic veteran Goodwin certainly gets the series off to a good start.

On the art side of things. . .

To be honest, the art is a little bland.  Not bad, but not great.  It tells the story, but doesn't really try any harder than that.  Generally-speaking, the art on all the first issues of the New Universe line shared a sort of generic look that probably didn't do the line any favors.  Justice is no exception.  The art isn't really a high point (Yet. . .there is a short run of later issues with some work by Keith Giffen that really stand out).

All that said, there IS one facet of this issue's art that I REALLY like a lot, and that is Geof Isherwood's portrayal of Tensen's powers.  The energy blasts that he uses to dispatch his enemies aren't some little puny beams of light. . .they're huge, brutal explosions that completely engulf their target, knocking them off their feet and literally disintegrating them into piles of dust!  

Take a look at the scans above to see what I mean.  The way that Tensen's powers are illustrated make them look, well. . .powerful!  They definitely don't look like something any average human could possibly survive.

CONCLUSION

Thanks to the writing of legendary comic veteran Archie Goodwin, Justice #1 is a pretty darn good read.  It's a simple, fast-paced story about a stranger with brutal powers somehow arriving in our world and searching for answers.  Goodwin leaves an aura of mystery around the main character, making me want to read the next issue and learn more.

The art isn't anything special, with the exception of the portrayal of the main character's powers, but it isn't bad.  It tells the story, but doesn't reach any higher beyond that.  

Overall, Justice #1 is a great first issue.  It's not the best comic I've ever read, but it's nowhere near the worst.  It's a simple and solid opening for a comic series that I'll recommend to anyone looking for a brutal Punisher-style story with a super power twist.  

Justice was never collected in trade form, but from my experience, you can find almost every issue in the bargain bin.  The later issues are a little harder to find, but they're out there.  

The series takes a LOT of twists and turns as the New Universe in general struggled to survive (The main character goes through two complete overhauls in the course of 32 issues), but all in all, it's worth checking out.

Up Next. . .

How about I surprise myself by reaching into a random box of my collection and reviewing whatever I pull out?  Is it gonna be a retro review?  Is it gonna be a mini-series?  A mainstream superhero comic? Some strange relic?

Let's find out!

Be there or be square.