Longbox Junk - Captain America/ Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers

Welcome to Longbox Junk, the place to find all the comic reviews you never asked for!

As usual, during the summer things get a little crazy in my corner of the world.  I do these Longbox Junk reviews in my spare time at work, and since that work is managing a hotel, that spare time is kind of sparse during the height of the tourist travel season.  What I'm trying to say is that I apologize for the random delays this blog experiences during summer.

ANYWAY. . .

Since I was delayed even more than usual during July and only managed to get out one Captain America review, I thought "Why not just spotlight some Cap in August?" and here we are!

I've had the first issue of the series at hand for several years (bought for that great cover), but have never been able to completely read the story until recently when I came across the rest of the issues in a box of comics at the flea market.

So we've got a story about Captain America meeting Black Panther for the first time during WWII, with Nick Fury and His Howling Commandos in the mix.  Sounds like a good time, right?  Let's find out!

CAPTAIN AMERICA/ BLACK PANTHER:

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS

MARVEL KNIGHTS (2010)

ISSUE ONE

SCRIPT: Reginald Hudlin

PENCILS: Denys Cowan

INKS: Klaus Jansen

COLORS: Pete Pantazis

COVER: Denys Cowan & Klaus Jansen

THE COVER:

I like this one a lot!  I'm not normally a fan of Denys Cowan's sketchy art style, but there's a dynamic feel to this cover that can't be denied. It showcases the two main characters in a couple of great hero poses and has an explosive background that really makes the whole cover pop.  This one's a winner!

THE STORY:

As World War II rages, the elite commando unit known as "The Howlers", led by the tough as nails Sgt. Nick Fury, encounters the Allies' new secret weapon for the first time. . .the brightly clad super-soldier called Captain America!

In Berlin.  Adolf Hitler's scientists have discovered what they believe is the solution to creating an intercontinental guided missile capable of hitting the United States from Europe. . .a rare metal known as Vibranium that is only known to come from one place, the mysterious African nation of Wakanda.  Hitler places Baron Von Strucker in command of the important mission to retrieve the Vibranium from Africa.

Meanwhile, the Howlers are assigned to back up Captain America on a secret mission to (You guessed it) find out what Von Strucker and his men are searching for in Africa.  Shortly after arriving, Cap discovers the grisly remains of a squad of Germans who have been slaughtered.  He finds himself surrounded by Wakandan warriors and confronting their masked leader. . .the Black Panther. . .and being told to go home.  

Captain America demands answers from Black Panther.  He is told the Germans are there to steal the Vibranium from Wakanda for their missiles.  Panther will not allow them OR the Americans to have the metal for their weapons.  Outraged by the Wakandan leader's blunt refusal to share the secret of Vibranium with the allies, Captain America and Black Panther fight while the captive Howlers look on.

In the meantime, at Von Strucker's nearby hidden base, he is informed of the death of his advance scouts.  As he considers how to proceed, he is surprised to learn that Hitler has sent another special agent to Africa to ensure the vital mission does not fail. . .The Red Skull!

To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:

Okay, not a bad start.  It's mostly setup to get Sgt. Fury and the Howlers together with Captain America and in Africa, but I DO love a good wartime Captain America story, and having the Howlers as supporting cast (The story is actually told from one of their perspectives. . .Gabe, the Howlers' African American musician) is definitely a great addition!

Black Panther doesn't really come into the story until the issue is almost done. . .and then just for a bit of obligatory "Heroes Fight Until They Realize They Need To Work Together".  It's a well-worn comic book team-up path, but it works here.  It's wartime and Wakanda knows they have something that will be used to kill millions, whether in the hands of the Axis OR Allies.  Therefore, the Black Panther seen so far is blunt and ready to fight. . .not the heroic and thoughtful warrior/diplomat he is usually presented as. 

On the art side of things, I mentioned in my look at the cover that I don't really enjoy Denys Cowan's sketchy art style.  He's one of those artists with a unique style that has evolved over the years.  In my humble opinion, it hasn't evolved for the better.  He made a name for himself on The Question and I really liked his work there, but over time, his art has become sketchy and more impressionistic.  I don't think he was the best choice of artists for this fairly straightforward war story. His comic-noir style is much more suited for stories as vague and rough around the edges as his art.

The colors are also a bit of a problem, as far as the art goes.  The whole comic is presented in a very washed-out and muted way, with bright splashes of color here and there to set things off a bit.  It all comes off as somewhat dull and is pretty muddy in places. . .especially scenes where Captain America isn't there to lend a little burst of red and blue.  It's not really a great choice for a Captain America comic, in my humble opinion.

Overall, the story here is good.  It's a simple and straightforward setup to get all the characters in Africa for a wartime adventure featuring Captain America, Black Panther, Nick Fury (and His Howling Commandos), Baron Strucker, and Red Skull.  There's plenty of action and adventure to be found, as well as an ending introducing Red Skull to the scenario that makes me want to jump right into the next issue.  In other words, a solid comic book team-up story so far.

Unfortunately, the art is distracting and sketchy, made worse by an extremely muted coloring style, so the story as a whole suffers a bit. . .but not enough for me to call it bad.  Another artist could have bumped this up a notch or two from where it sits right now at "pretty good".

NEXT!

ISSUE TWO

SCRIPT: Reginald Hudlin

PENCILS: Denys Cowan

INKS: Klaus Jansen

COLORS: Pete Pantazis

COVER: Denys Cowan & Klaus Jansen

THE COVER:

I like the dirty white background on this one a lot, and it's pretty dynamic, but it lacks the force and power of the first issue's cover.  Cap's face is also a little strange.  It's not a BAD cover, it's just not a GREAT cover.  

THE STORY:

After Black Panther and Captain America finish fighting, the Americans are invited into Wakanda, where Cap and Panther talk terms for a cooperative effort against the invading Germans.  Nick Fury isn't so sure that Panther can be trusted, so he puts one of his men (Gabe) onto the mission of trying to learn more.  Fury assures Gabe that he's got the job because he's the best man for it.  Gabe knows that it's really because he's the only black man in the Howlers.

In the meantime, Baron Strucker plans an attack on the Wakandan capital using all the forces at his disposal. . .five full regiments.  But the Red Skull demands that no more than one regiment be used, causing Strucker to doubt the sanity of his new commander.

Later, as the Germans attack, the Howlers are kept prisoner for their own safety as Captain America and Black Panther rush to the defense of the city.  The German tanks are disabled by strange Wakandan devices called "Panther's Teeth", forcing the Germans into a brutal hand to hand battle at the city gates, where they are easily driven back by Captain America, Black Panther, and the Dora Milaje (Wakanda's all-female royal bodyguards).

After the German retreat, we learn that the underpowered attack force was merely a test of Wakanda's defenses, and that the Red Skull has not arrived alone.  With him are some of Germany's own superpowered "heroes". . .Master Man, Warrior Woman, and Armless Tiger Man.  Now armed with the knowledge he wanted about Wakanda's high-tech defense systems, Red Skull plots a devastating attack with the German superhumans in the lead. 

To be continued. . .

THE REVIEW:

Most of this issue was action, focusing on the battle between the Wakandans and Germans at the city gate, but there were a few interesting moments in between.

Nick Fury tapping Gabe to try and spy on the Wakandans because he's black, as well as conversation between Black Panther and Captain America about how America fights for the rights of people overseas while oppressing their own citizens at home, lends a bit of depth to what is otherwise a pretty straightforward military action story sprinkled with a bit of superhero seasoning.

Another interesting little bit to the story in this issue informed me about something I'd been wondering about in the first issue, which was how Black Panther met up with Captain America in WWII in the first place.  I chalked it up to this being a "Marvel Knights" series, most of which had a sort of strange relationship with established Marvel continuity. . .not quite "What If?" stories, but not quite standard "Marvel Universe" either.  

It's revealed (by showing his sons with their mother during the German attack) that the Black Panther in THIS story is actually T'Challa's (the "current" Black Panther) grandfather.  Which explains why this version of Black Panther is more direct and brutal than the one I'm used to reading.

Unfortunately, Denys Cowan's art remains the weak point of this otherwise solid wartime superhero story.  His sketchy style and the muted color palette just aren't a great fit for this series at all.  

Overall, this issue is pretty solid when it comes to the story.  Lots of action backed up by some interesting commentary on race that doesn't come off as preachy or forced.  I just wish they had tapped another artist for this project.  Cowan's art is perfectly fine in the right setting, but this isn't that setting.

NEXT!

ISSUE THREE

SCRIPT: Reginald Hudlin

PENCILS: Denys Cowan

INKS: Tom Palmer

COLORS: Pete Pantazis

COVER: Denys Cowan & Sandu Florea

THE COVER:

This one's a bit of a mess.  It's cluttered and the coloring is pretty muddy. It's okay, I guess, but this isn't really the kind of cover that makes me want to buy a comic book. Let's get inside. . .

THE STORY:

In the aftermath of the failed German attack (last issue), we find Nick Fury changing Gabe's secret mission from just spying on the Wakandans to discovering the location of Wakanda's Vibranium, with the intention of denying it to the Germans and delivering it to the Allies.  Gabe is conflicted, but assures Fury that he'll do his job.

Meanwhile, in the German camp, we learn that in addition to the three German superhumans, Red Skull has also allied himself with the brutal leader of a tribe that has long been rivals of  neighboring Wakanda, The White Gorilla.  His team now complete, Red Skull plots the destruction of Wakanda.

Back in Wakanda, Gabe manages to bluff his way into the Vibranium mine, but as he gathers information for Fury, Wakanda comes under surprise attack by Master Man and Warrior Woman, attacking from the air and easily breaking through Wakanda's defenses!

At the Royal Palace, Captain America confronts Warrior Woman and White Gorilla while Gabe faces the powerful Master Man at the Vibranium mine.  Black Panther crashes an airplane into Master Man as the German superhuman tears through the mine's defenders.

Elsewhere, Nick Fury and the rest of the Howlers are searching for the hidden German base.  They discover it, but are confronted by Red Skull piloting a gigantic combat robot!

Meanwhile, back at the Palace, Captain America battles White Gorilla while Black Panther's sons try to escape, only for one of them to be captured by Armless Tiger Man, who demands Captain America surrender or he will kill the young Prince.

To be concluded. . .

THE REVIEW:

Another pretty solid issue that leans more into action than story, but with a few small diversions here and there.  I like the side story of Gabe being conflicted over following Fury's orders as he learns more about Wakanda and sees a thriving kingdom of free blacks and knowing he's been given the mission just because he's a black man.  

It's an interesting commentary on race that is presented naturally as part of the story and doesn't feel forced. . .of COURSE Fury is going to give his only black guy the mission to infiltrate Wakanda.  He doesn't even think twice.  Gabe knows he's being used just because he's black, but he's loyal to the commander who gave him a chance to prove himself that not many other black men in the 1940's were given.  It doesn't take up much page space, but I like this story sort of simmering in the background.

The rest of the issue is okay.  I can see it sort of sliding down into comic book cliche action territory, especially when Red Skull jumps into action driving a giant Nazi robot.  Giant Robot Punching is probably my LEAST favorite comic book trope, and I'm a bit disappointed to see it telegraphed that there's going to be plenty of Giant Robot Punching in what's sure to be a slam-bang finale.  

I know I keep going on about the art on this series, but it's really the worst part of the whole thing.  The sketchy art style of Denys Cowan just isn't a good fit, and that's especially clear in this issue.  The closer we get to the end, the more sketchy the art gets.  It looks like maybe Cowan was being rushed a bit.  The muted and washed out color scheme just adds to the sort of messy look of this comic.

Overall, even though the story is obviously starting to slide down into what surely will be a pretty standard comic book superhero punch-fest finale (including a dose of good old-fashioned Giant Robot Punching), there are some surprisingly interesting character moments hidden in the background story of a soldier conflicted by being used for his race.

The artwork remains consistently disappointing, and maybe even a little worse as the story heads into the final issue.  A different artist could have definitely taken this tale up a few notches.

AND FINALLY. . .

ISSUE FOUR

SCRIPT: Reginald Hudlin

PENCILS: Denys Cowan

INKS: Tom Palmer & Sandu Florea

COLORS: Pete Pantazis

COVER: Denys Cowan &Sandu Florea

THE COVER:

We come full circle back to a great cover to finish things off after two "okay" covers in the middle of the set.  It's dynamic, it showcases the two title heroes very nicely, and the explosive background highlights everything in a great way.  It's just a well done superhero comic cover all around.

THE STORY:

Continuing from last issue, as Gabe tries to survive the attack on the Vibranium mine, he manages to steal a piece of the rare metal.  In the meantime, Nick Fury and the Howlers fight for their lives against Red Skull and his giant robot.

Gabe manages to escape the mine by a secret passage leading to the Wakandan Royal Palace, where he saves Prince T'Chaka by shooting Armless Tiger Man in the head.  Captain America arrives on the scene just a little too late.  He and Gabe decide to team up to find out where the Red Skull is.  In the Vibranium mine, Black Panther easily defeats both Master Man AND Warrior Woman, using some sort of poison on his gauntlets.  

Back in the jungle, The Howlers realize their weapons are useless against Red Skull, and they retreat into the German camp, accidentally running into Baron Strucker's tent.  A tense standoff between Fury and Strucker is interrupted by Red Skull bursting back onto the scene.

As Gabe, Captain America, and Black Panther fly a plane toward the German camp to assist the Howlers, Gabe is shocked when Black Panther offers him Wakandan citizenship in gratitude for saving his son and conducting himself with honor while a guest of Wakanda.  Gabe tells him he needs to think on it.

Arriving at the German base, Cap and Panther find the Howlers in desperate need of aid.  They jump into battle and GIANT ROBOT PUNCHIN' COMMENCES!!  

Gotta have some robot punchin'

After defeating Red Skull, Strucker surrenders.  Black Panther lets him and his defeated men go, but with a warning that if another German is even seen near Wakanda, they will join the Allies and Black Panther will personally go to Berlin and kill his way to the top of the command chain.

At the end of it all, Gabe declines Panther's offer of citizenship. . .telling him that there's still fighting left to be done in Europe.  On the other hand, he also lies to Nick Fury. . .telling him that he wasn't able to find any information on the Vibranium.  

In a short epilogue, we see Nick Fury at a mission debriefing being asked his opinion of Captain America.  Nick was impressed by Cap's fighting ability, but not so much by his unwillingness to help find Wakanda's vibranium.  He suggests that the army train a partner for Cap who is willing to get his hands dirty if the mission calls for it.

The End.

THE REVIEW:

Yep. . .Giant Robot Punching.  Easily one of the most abused tropes in comic books.  One of the main reasons I don't read many mainstream superhero titles.  There's ALWAYS going to be a robot (giant or otherwise) being punched in at least one issue of ANY mainstream superhero comic.  Don't try to prove me wrong.  You can't.

Giant Robot Punching aside, this was a slam-bang all action (well, until the end) finale to this story.  I liked that even through all the fight scenes, the writer still managed to slip in bits of the underlying story of Gabe's personal conflict. . .ending with him deciding to just let things stay the way they are.  A cop-out?  It can be seen that way. But I prefer to think of it being a simple man keeping things simple.  If that means maintaining a crappy status quo, then that's what it means.  

I have to give credit to the writer for being able to provide a thought-provoking commentary on race inside a story about superheroes punching Nazis in Africa.  It was unexpected and nicely done.

The art actually seemed to improve a bit in this issue.  I chalk it up to the addition of a new inker.  Whatever was the cause, it's unfortunate that it came in the final issue.  A definite case of "Too little, too late" in my humble opinion.  But at least they managed to tame Cowan's sketchy and vague pencils enough to be a noticeable improvement over previous issues.  The muted color palette remains a real weak point, though.  Not much an inker can do about that.

Overall, a solid piece of almost non-stop superhero action that takes a little bit of time to reflect on a conflicted soldier caught up in it all.  It's a good finish to the story.  Too bad the art remains disappointing, despite showing a bit of improvement.

CONCLUSION

There you have it.  Captain America and Black Panther meeting for the first time in the middle of WWII.  For Captain America fans, you get a Cap that's still a little "green", proving himself in battle.  For Black Panther fans, you get a look at a brutal wartime Panther in T'Challa's grandfather.  And then you've got Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos doing what they do best.  Mix them together in an unusual WWII African setting and you have a pretty darn good little superhero war story.

The artist wasn't the best choice, and there's a trip down the extremely well-worn comic path of giant robot punching, but that's not enough to keep this story down.  It's enough to knock it down a notch or two, but all in all, I can recommend Flags of Our Fathers to any fan of Captain America, Black Panther, or WWII comics in general.  Give it a try.  It's a pretty good read.  

Up Next. . .

It's still EXTREMELY busy at work, so I think I'll hit a few one-shots until things settle down a bit. I've picked up some fantastic Flea Market bargains this past month, so maybe some tasty Retro-Reviews.

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - World's Finest

Welcome back to Longbox Junk, the place to find all the comic reviews you never asked for!

The original "World's Finest" was a long-running out of continuity team-up book that starred the whole roster of DC heroes, but was basically a Batman/Superman series.

 The 2009 World's Finest four-issue mini series at hand is also a team-up book but it's definitely NOT out of continuity. It was written at a time when DC was doing a lot of shaking up of their character status quo and as a reader, you are pretty much expected to be familiar with all the changes going on.

This doesn't bode well for anyone giving it a read eleven years later.  But I'm not gonna let a little thing like continuity abandoned by the publisher not once, but TWICE over the course of a decade stop me from giving this a fair shake.

The most important things for a reader not steeped in past DC continuity to know this far down the road in order to understand what's going on here is: Almost everyone thought Batman was dead, Superman had left Earth, and Kryptonians in general were considered enemies of humankind.  The DC B-List character roster were doing their best to step up and fill the shoes of Earth's (absent) greatest heroes. 

Ready? Let's do this!

WORLD'S FINEST

DC (2009)

ISSUE 1

NIGHTWING & RED ROBIN

SCRIPTS: Sterling Gates

PENCILS: Julian Lopez

COVER: Phil Noto

Right out of the gate I'm staring at the cover and wondering why the youthful Tim Drake looks like a grizzled forty year old guy.  Generally, I like Phil Noto's art, but this is just questionable.

ANYWAY. . .

This first issue teams up Red Robin (Tim Drake, who is searching the world for clues as to where Batman REALLY is) and Nightwing (No, not THAT one. A Kryptonian that Superman had adopted as a son in the bottle city of Kandor). The issue does a pretty good job at explaining who is who, and thank God for that. I didn't have to hit the internet for a refresher on decade old continuity beats.

Unfortunately, the story seems pretty weak so far. The villain is a B-lister (Toyman) and the teamup seems forced. The art is pretty good.  Nothing spectacular, but there's some really nice moments scattered through the issue.  

All in all, the good art doesn't save the story from a weak setup and total immersion in (then current) continuity.  I'm thinking that this COULD have been a lot better in the hands of another writer.  The ideas are there, but the execution just isn't.  Not a great start.

NEXT!

ISSUE 2

GUARDIAN & ROBIN

SCRIPTS: Sterling Gates

PENCILS: Ramon Bachs

COVER: Phil Noto

And another pretty bad cover by the usually-reliable Phil Noto.
This one is just. . .strange. 

It's definitely not the sort of cover that makes me want to buy a comic book.

MOVING ALONG. . .

*Sigh* 

Just two issues in and we're already taking a swerve off the rails with a final page reveal of. . .a giant robot that's half Superman and half Batman in appearance. WHY do comic books love making superheroes punch giant robots?  It's just a really weak "Go-To" story element that needs to go away.

This issue teams up the Damian Wayne version of Robin with The Guardian. I don't know much about The Guardian, but if I had to judge from this issue alone, I don't want to learn more. He is easily one of the lamest superheroes I've seen in a while.

Once again, the book does a pretty good job of explaining who is who, so there's that. . .

Unfortunately, the art takes a turn for the worse (each issue of this mini features a different artist) from "pretty good" to "average and borderline bad in places".  There are moments where you can see a bit more effort (like the giant robot reveal above), but overall this issue's art isn't anything to get excited about.

SO. . .

What we have here just two issues into this thing is a forced team up via a cliche "Heroes fight until they finally figure out they're on the same side" vehicle, a weak overarching story, an extremely lame superhero, average art, and the good old giant robot.

I don't like where this is heading.

NEXT!

ISSUE 3

SUPERGIRL & BATGIRL

SCRIPTS: Sterling Gates

PENCILS: Jamal Igle

COVER: Phil Noto

FINALLY! Phil Noto gives us a great cover.  Very nicely done and worthy of a turn in my rotating comic cover display on my office wall at work.

In this issue we have a team up between Supergirl and the Stephanie Brown version of Batgirl, with Oracle, Catwoman, Dick Grayson Batman, Damian Wayne Robin, and the 2009  "Just another Kryptonian Soldier" version of Superman making cameos.

 I guess it's pretty cool to have an issue packed with so many DC characters, but the execution is still so very weak.  This MIGHT have been great in the hands of a stronger writer.  I WANT this to be great.  But it's not.

Most of the issue is spent fighting against Toyman's tiny little robots before he decides it's time to power up the giant Kryptonite-powered Batman/Superman robot.  All those great characters and cameos are pretty much wasted on a comic cliche robot punch party.  What a shame.

God, I hate comic stories that are nothing but robot punching.

I don't even want to read the final issue.

But I ain't a quitter, son.

LET'S DO IT!

ISSUE 4

SUPERMAN & BATMAN

SCRIPTS: Sterling Cates

PENCILS: Phil Noto

COVER: Phil Noto

This one has a pretty good cover done in Noto's more familiar style.  Unfortunately, it's a bit deceptive because even though the actual Superman IS in this issue, he isn't wearing his "Big Blue Boy Scout" suit.  If I bought this issue off the stand in 2009 thinking that Superman was back for reals based on this cover, I'd feel more than a bit shafted (It's "I'm just another Kryptonian soldier now" Superman inside).

THAT ASIDE. . .

I was really surprised to find that I actually liked this last issue after the serious swerve off the rails the previous two took.

Yeah. . .there's a giant Kryptonite-powered Superman/Batman robot on the loose that has to be punched, but in between the robot punching there are some really nice character moments between Dick Grayson Batman and "Just another Kryptonian Soldier" Superman that address the new (in 2009) status quo and DC's "Legacy Heroes" tradition.

Once the writer got past the robot punching, the story here has heart.  It takes a look at WHY we love these characters and miss them when they aren't around.  The writer actually stepped up at last and gave me some meat on this bony story.  It's a real shame that this only comes out in the final issue.

The stellar art by Noto in this issue helped improve things as well, with a VERY nice opening page. He actually makes giant robot punching look pretty good in the rest of the issue as well.

Too bad the ending was weakened by a cliffhanger that I'm sure tied into then current continuity, but didn't do any favors to this mini as a standalone story being read eleven years later.

All in all, this was definitely the best issue of the series, despite a lot of giant robot punching. And when I say it was the best issue, I mean it elevated itself above "Utterly average and borderline bad" to the exalted ranks of "Pretty Good".

CONCLUSION

Overall, this World's Finest mini-series is more like "World's Average".

The story is pretty weak, the villains were second rate, the art swerves from pretty good to borderline bad, the team ups were forced using a dusty assortment of comic book cliches, and the whole thing revolves around the reader's knowledge of (then) current continuity instead of standing on its own.

And then there's the giant Kryptonite-powered Batman/Superman robot.  

I wouldn't really suggest this mini to anyone except those who have an interest in Pre-New 52 characters and continuity.  I'll admit that seeing characters like Oracle, Stephanie Brown Batgirl, and Red Robin again was a bit of a blast from the past, and I enjoyed that for what it was, but it just wasn't enough to save this series.

Up next. . .

"Steve Austin, astronaut.  A man barely alive."

"We can rebuild him.  We have the technology.
We can make him better than he was.
Better. . .stronger. . .faster."

If you're a child of the 70's like me, you KNOW what I'm talking about. . .

The Six Million Dollar Man!

Join me in taking a look at Dynamite's Six Million Dollar Man: Fall of Man mini-series.

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - New Wave + Batman/ Doc Savage Special

Welcome back to another Longbox Junk "Rescue Review"!  I'm blowing the dust off of some older reviews of mine that I did for a very well-known comic site that doesn't really care much about actual comics any more and putting them back in the sight of people that still LIKE comic books right here at Longbox Junk.

This review is one I was REALLY interested in revisiting.  I have a real love of comic heroes that are more on the human side of the equation.  Less SUPER-Hero and more Super-HERO as it were.

The Shadow. . .Captain America. . .Green Hornet. . .Zorro. . .Tarzan. . .Conan. . .Punisher. . .Black Widow. . .Lone Ranger. . .The Question. . .Sgt. Rock. . .The Spirit, and Batman (among others).  The last two characters are major stars in the comics at hand, which were the initial offerings from DC in a short-lived effort to create a new "pulp" comic universe with more "grounded" heroes such as those I mentioned above.  Given my love of more human superheroes, one would THINK that "First Wave" (DC's name for their new universe) would be just what the doctor ordered.

BUT. . .

Yeah.  Unfortunately, there's almost always a "But".

Although I REALLY liked the Spirit ongoing series that came out of First Wave (possibly coming to Longbox Junk at some point), there wasn't much else to it.  The aforementioned Spirit series (17 issues), a Doc Savage series (also 17 issues) and the following First Wave 6 issue mini and Batman/ Doc Savage Special.  Only 41 comics over one single year and then the First Wave Universe just sort of went away without anybody really noticing, and hasn't been revisited since.

I'm not sure exactly what happened, since I can find very little information on First Wave on the internet beyond a bit of sketchy outline. . .mostly having to do with the Spirit and Doc Savage series.  The IDEA was solid.  There was a LOT of premium talent on board.  It SHOULD have worked.  But First Wave came and went with barely a blip on comic history's radar.

So like I said above. . .this was an older review that I really wanted to re-visit.  I was pretty harsh on New Wave at the time.  On reading the review again, I now wonder if I was a little TOO harsh.  Once again, this was a review I wrote at a time when I was becoming disillusioned at working for a major comic site and I sort of can see some of that bitterness coming through many of the reviews I wrote during that time.

The thing is that I absolutely LOVE the idea of a 1930's - style gun-toting detective Batman and The Spirit sharing space in a comic.  I still have all these issues, so I gave them a re-read when I shined up this old review a bit.  Except for a few changes, I've left the original review alone.  I'll let you know what I thought about the re-read in the conclusion.  Is this really as bad as I originally thought it was?

Let's find out!

ORIGINAL INTRO:

Welcome to the 1950's. . .where they have cell phones, laptops, and dirigibles! Welcome to DC's failed and forgotten attempt to start a new pulp-influenced universe. Welcome to FIRST WAVE!

BAT MAN/DOC SAVAGE SPECIAL
DC (2010)

SCRIPTS: Brian Azzarello

PENCILS: Phil Noto

COVER: JG Jones

So what we have here is the one shot Preview for what was supposed to have been a new DC pulp-influenced universe. From what I understand, DC had the license for some of the pulp characters for a short while (with the glaring exclusion of The Shadow. . .who was already a DC character in the past. A shame) and were trying to figure out what to do with them.

Coming into this I knew some basics, but I wasn't very familiar with Doc Savage. He is (according to the helpful notes in the back of the issue) supposed to be this universe's "Superman". Despite the notes, this one shot doesn't help much with introducing Doc Savage to the uninitiated. Batman (or, in THIS universe, Bat-Man) is based on the original 1930's gun-toting detective version instead of the later superhero caped crusader. I REALLY liked this version of Batman!

Azzarello gives us a decent (if somewhat thin) tale of Bat Man trying to track down an organization called the Golden Tree, getting wrongly accused of murder, and Doc Savage coming to Gotham to take him down. They end up as. . .not friends, but not enemies at the end of it all.

 The art by Noto was pretty good for this story, but not as good as Noto art normally is.  Backgrounds are practically non-existent (but that's normal for Noto) and Noto's normally-sharp lines are missing.  Faces in particular suffer from time to time through the whole issue.  It all just looks a little off when compared to what I'm used to from Phil Noto.

All in all, I don't think this was a great introduction to the First Wave universe. The only character I got a good handle on was the pulp version of Batman, which I really liked. That said, it wasn't bad at all.  The extra material in the back detailing the new characters coming into the First Wave Universe really interested me in what was coming.  As far as THIS issue goes, it's a decent story, but not really the great introduction it was meant to be.

An additional 2019 note:  I suggest not reading the following First Wave mini without first reading the additional character information in the Preview Special (or the internet, I suppose).  Oddly enough, according to the page I scanned above, it looks like Black Canary was also supposed to be part of First Wave, but she isn't found in any of the comics. . .another example of the unfulfilled promise of First Wave.

FIRST WAVE 

DC (2010 - 2011)

SCRIPTS: Brian Azzarello
PENCILS: Rags Morales
COVERS: JG Jones

ISSUE 1

The one shot introduction to the DC First Wave pulp alternative universe didn't do a great job.  Unfortunately this first  issue of the universe's "official" rollout didn't do much better.

Once again, Doc Savage is barely sketched out. The Spirit fares a little better, but not by much. Now, I'm not going to say that I love repeated origin stories every time a character gets a new series, but I'm thinking a LITTLE more origin might have been nice here for readers unfamiliar with these older characters being introduced to a modern audience.

 I'm a big fan of The Spirit and so the lack of information on just who this crazy guy in the blue suit sleeping in an open grave and making coffee with a mask on was didn't really bother ME. . .but I'm a little vague on Doc Savage, and the extremely helpful notes from the Doc Savage/Bat Man special were missing here.

 I can only imagine what someone coming in with absolutely no knowledge of these characters would have thought. No wonder this new universe didn't last long. . .

To make the lack of introduction a bit more confusing, this First Wave universe seems to occupy a strange corner of reality where high tech exists in a late 1940's/early 1950's world. Cell phones, robots, and jet planes exist alongside dirigibles and autogyros.

What it REALLY reminds me of is the universe that Batman The Animated Series was set in. That's definitely not a bad thing in MY book, but once again. . .for new readers, this might be a hard thing to get a handle on.

ANYWAY. . .

The story is mostly pretty thin introduction and world-building. Some sequences away from Doc Savage and The Spirit set in South America made absolutely no sense, but look like setup to another forgotten pulp hero (heroine, that is), Rima the Jungle Girl. The Blackhawks also make a last panel appearance, so it looks like this series will have a pretty big cast of characters.

All in all, it was a decent read. I won't call it great, but I won't call it bad. It rides right down the middle of the road. I might think different if I came in without any knowledge of the characters.  For some readers this would probably be pretty confusing, to say the least.

Finally, the art looks very nice.  Rags Morales puts in a great effort on this job, and the art definitely kicks up my enjoyment of this issue a notch. This could have gone VERY wrong in the hands of another artist.

ISSUE 2

Another issue of thin introductions and world-building. We meet The Spirit's friend and helper, Ebony White. . .transformed in this new universe from a racial stereotype man into a racial stereotype woman. I'm thinking maybe Ebony White should just be left in the past. . .

We also are introduced to the First Wave version of The Blackhawks. Quite a bit more brutal and mercenary than usual. Looks like Azzarello took a bit of inspiration from Howard Chaykin's Blackhawks, although Janos hasn't shown up yet.

We get to learn a bit more about the man running through the jungle from the first issue. A scientist working on some sort of project in a high-tech floating city called Neolantis who stole some information. Rima The Jungle Girl is still little more than a lurking presence. 

Also introduced is another pulp character I'm vague on and am again thankful for the additional  information at the end of the Batman/Doc Savage Special. . .The Avenger. A of master of disguise and private detective.  Once again, I feel a bit sorry for readers coming into this who didn't pick up the First Wave Special and who don't have access to the additional information.

ANYWAY. . .

I'm really liking The Spirit's part in this (He takes an epic nut kick from one of the Blackhawks, and still cracks a joke when he wakes up!) So at least on The Spirit, Azzarello is hitting the mark quite nicely.

As far as the other characters, they're barely sketches, so far.  And 2 issues in without Batman?  He's on the covers.  He's in the hype text.  Well. . .at least this is shaping up to be a decent Spirit story, anyway.

Overall, I liked this issue. . .but mainly because of The Spirit. Hopefully, some of these threads will begin to weave together and start to form the bigger picture that keeps being promised.

ISSUE 3

Halfway into this series and Azzarello is STILL making introductions. This time out, Bat-Man joins the game. Like I said in my review of the Preview to the First Wave universe (Batman/ Doc Savage Special, above), this version of Batman is based on the original 1930's detective-style crimefighter. . .not the later superhero. He carries guns and isn't afraid to use them OR kill criminals. He's younger, more reckless, and a lot more dangerous than the Batman most readers are used to. Personally, I like this version of the character a LOT.

I see that 2 regular series came out of First Wave. . .Doc Savage and The Spirit. I would have REALLY liked to see a regular with this version of Batman as well. But then again, that might have been confusing to have ANOTHER bat book on the stands. But hey. . .I'M not the one who wanted to start a new pulp universe and then just sort of left it hanging. Just saying. It might have been good.  It might have actually carried the First Wave universe a bit longer. . .sort of like how Spider Man 2099 carried the 2099 Universe over at Marvel.

BUT I DIGRESS!

Unfortunately, Bat-Man is barely sketched out. Why is he dressing up as a bat? What is his motivation to risk everything he has fighting crime? So on and so forth. None of it is given a bit of explanation. And so far, that is this series (and by extension, this universe) biggest problem: They rushed right into the adventure and never properly introduced the characters beyond some additional information at the end of the Batman/Doc Savage Special. I keep saying it, but I feel sorry for anyone who picked this up who wasn't able to refer to that. . .

ISSUE 4

Well, it took a while and it was a bit convoluted, but Azzarello finally got his cast of characters in one place. . .the South American nation of Hidalgo and the floating city of Neolantis. We hardly know anything about any of these people, but here they are!

Once again, the lack of proper introduction or world building blunts the story. Why should we care about any of these "heroes"? Especially since half of them seem to be just as nasty as the "villains".

Okay, I realize that pulp and noir are supposed to be about the grey areas, but really. . .I'm having trouble seeing much wrong with the villain's plan.  A gathering of wealth to help rebuild the world with advanced technology 5 years after a devastating world war?

Is there something wrong with that which a rag-tag group of unheroic heroes need to take notice of and stop? Okay. . .so there's some big money connections to organized crime, but it's in the cause of world peace through technology. Whatever.  Bat-Man's gotta be Bat-Man no matter what universe, I guess.

BUT I DIGRESS (again)!

All in all, this issue was a bit confusing. I think that so far Azzarello has spent more of his effort figuring out just how the hell he's going to get a bunch of (mostly) city-based back alley and rooftop heroes into the jungle than he has worrying about what they were going to actually DO once the gang was all in one place. And only two more issues to go. I hope he gets it figured out quick, or this isn't gonna end well. . .

ISSUE 5

This issue is a mess.

Like I said in my review of last issue, Azzarello seems to have spent  so much time figuring out how to get a bunch of (mostly) city-based crimefighters into the jungle that he's just sort of winging it once they get there. And to make matters worse, the ONE actual jungle-based character. . .Rima the Jungle Girl. . .might as well not even be in the story for all the attention she's given. 

I had high hopes for this series (and REALLY liked the Spirit series that came out of it), but it has been plagued by poor characterization and a weak villain with a vague (and oddly beneficial) plot that probably doesn't even need to be stopped.

This issue is a crazy quilt of epic proportions. Everything from giant lizards to human experiments (on hobos imported from cities when there's a whole damn jungle full of natives), to Doc Savage running around Tarzan-style in a loincloth punching Uzi-toting redshirts.

At least the art is still very nice, and the parts with Bat-Man and The Spirit are good.
As for the rest. . .Ever since the gang got together in the jungle, this series has officially gone off the rails.

ISSUE 6

A pretty sweet Jim Lee Variant cover on the 6th issue

Well. . .it started off pretty good, but didn't end well.  The ending of this mini is a convoluted, confusing mess that tries to tie up loose ends and STILL introduce new things at the same time.

 Azzarello tried to cram ALL the new DC pulp characters and ideas into ONE mini without a clear mission or a worthy villain and wound up at the end of it all with an overcrowded mess. Most of the characters were out of their element, and without a proper introduction to any of them, there was no reason to worry about their fate. It seems like such a waste of talent and time. A damn shame.

CONCLUSION

This could have been the beginning of something great if only Azzarello had narrowed his focus instead of trying to force epic onto street-level characters. I'm not sure about the Doc Savage series that came out of this because I never read an issue of it, but the Spirit series successfully lowered its gaze back to the street where it belonged.

ONE simple phrase in Azzarello's mind COULD have saved this from becoming a mess:
Bat-Man doesn't belong in the jungle.

It's not just Bat-Man, but most of these characters don't belong in the jungle. I can only shake my head and wonder why? Why did it have to go that direction? Was it because of Rima the Jungle Girl? Maybe Azzarello couldn't figure out how to get her to the city, so he brought the other characters to the jungle. But if that was the case, why did he barely use her?

I'm not sure what happened. I REALLY wanted to like this series, but now I don't even care.

Thanks, Obama.

And there it is. First Wave. A series where epic was forced on street-level heroes and failure followed close behind. A damn shame and a LOT of wasted potential, given the talent that was put into this project.  I don't know what happened, but it went from "Pretty Good" to "What The Hell?" really fast.

2019 RE-READ CONCLUSION

I was pretty harsh on this series when I originally reviewed it.  I can see my bitterness in the fact that I didn't even do a proper story synopsis for each issue, but just jumped right into what I didn't like about it.  I found very few bright spots (the art, the Spirit and Bat-Man were about it), and really that says just as much about my own state of mind at the time as it does the wasted potential of First Wave.  I just REALLY didn't like writing reviews of new comics and not being able to tell the whole truth, and that shows up in my "side" reviews (Like First Wave) as well.

BUT. . .

I'm in a different place now.  I review what I want and can tell it like I see it.  You can agree or disagree with my humble opinion, but at least my frustration at being paid to lie is gone. And no. . .I'm NOT going to do "Rescue Reviews" on the new (at the time) comics I was reviewing.

BUT I DIGRESS!

This isn't about me.  It's about First Wave and what I think about it on another read-through.  Okay then. . .if I had to describe this mini (and one shot) in one word, that word would be: Disappointing.

Yeah. . .sadly, even though I don't find it to be as bad as I originally thought, I still find First Wave to be a disappointing waste of talent and potential.  And there's a LOT of wasted talent and potential here.

First, let's talk about the good things.  The art is great, no complaints there.  The parts of the story featuring Bat-Man and The Spirit are the best parts of First Wave, and make me want more.

Unfortunately, my original assessment still stands regarding rushed (or practically non-existent) character introductions, a weak villain with a vague plot, characters out of their natural element, and just a general sense of too many things being thrown into this mini at once.  These elements all come together in a bit of a mess that overshadows the good things to be found here.

In my humble opinion, Azzarello made an extremely bad choice in making this a jungle adventure in the first place.  Yes. . .I know that jungle adventures are a theme in pulp fiction.  Tarzan being the best and most popular example of Jungle-themed pulp stories.

BUT. . .

When you say "Pulp Fiction" to somebody and ask them to describe what you're talking about, most of the time, you're going to get an answer that involves cities, gangsters, and detectives.  THIS is where First Wave fails.  When you have great urban-based characters like a gunslinging detective Bat-Man, The Spirit, and The Avenger, WHY in hell would you decide the perfect adventure to bring them together would be to take them out of their natural element of dark alleys and rooftops and drop them into the jungle?

The Batman/ Doc Savage one shot First Wave Preview wasn't the best introduction to the First Wave universe, but it WAS a decent urban-based detective story told in a pulp style!  If Azzarello had just narrowed his focus and kept things on the gritty streets, First Wave MIGHT have lasted long enough to start telling jungle stories with a fish out of water angle.  Instead, he jumped right into the jungle before the identities of the First Wave characters had been established enough to BE a fish out of water angle.

You don't even realize the disappointment I feel reading the total mishandling of something that SHOULD have been great! The First Wave Spirit series that followed this introductory mini written by Mark Schultz and illustrated by Moritat (With back up stories by comic legends DENNIS O'NEAL and BILL SIENKIEWICZ!) was great because it EMBRACED the urban nature of the character, and in doing so, actually fulfilled the promise of First Wave in a way that this mini failed to do. 

Unfortunately, the damage was already done right at the start with this weak introduction and that Spirit series (along with the entire First Wave idea itself) didn't last long.  A damn shame.

Overall, this First Wave mini isn't as bad as I originally thought.  It's actually a pretty decent story with a lot of extremely disappointing flaws.  I say go ahead and give it a read. . .but be prepared to feel a bit sad over what it COULD have been.  There's a lot of wasted potential to be found in these 7 practically-forgotten comic books.

Up next. . .

GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY COMICS, YOU DAMN DIRTY APES!

It's another "Rescue Review".
This time out, Boom Studios Planet of The Apes. The whole series!

Be there or be square!

Longbox Junk - Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier

Yeah, yeah. . .I know.  I said Aliens vs. Predator was up next.  I found out I don't actually have all 4 issues of that series.  I'm missing the final issue.  I have 2 copies of different covers for #1, so I saw 4 issues in the box.

ANYWAY. . .How about some Captain America instead?

After Marvel backpedaled on the "Death" of Captain America and put the character through a convoluted wringer to get him back into continuity, they seemed to have had a bit of a problem deciding what to do next. 

I couldn't find much information about this stage of Cap's career, but this odd little mini looks like it was SUPPOSED to be an ongoing series. . .especially since it has an Annual issue (that I don't have), which is sort of strange for a mini.  And then there's the ending, clearly setting up an ongoing story with a character that never appeared anywhere else other than this mini.

I'm not sure what happened, but clearly Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier wasn't the Captain America fans had been waiting for.  But is it any good? Let's find out! 

STEVE ROGERS:

SUPER-SOLDIER

Marvel (2010)

SCRIPTS: Ed Brubaker

PENCILS: Dale Eaglesham

COVERS: Carlos Pacheco

ISSUE ONE

REBIRTH

Steve Rogers receives information that the grandson of Dr. Erskine (who developed the original super-soldier serum) has perfected the lost Super-Soldier formula and plans on selling it to the highest bidder. 

Rogers heads to Madripoor to put a stop to the auction and when Jacob Erskine is assassinated, discovers there's more to the story than he was led to believe. . . 

I really liked this first issue quite a bit. There's a lot of story packed into a single regular-sized issue. We get Captain America in less of a super-soldier and more of a super-spy role as he investigates Jacob Erskine and the return of the Super-Soldier formula. 

We see Rogers following leads, infiltrating a heavily-guarded hotel by way of disguise at a lavish party, and discovering threads of a larger conspiracy when Erskine turns out not to be the villain Cap thought. This reads more like a James Bond story than a Captain America comic, and I like the change a lot!

The art helps sell the story. . .nicely-detailed and darkly-inked lines and perfect colors that really make the panels pop. The action scenes are fluid and really showcase Cap's martial arts skills as he stealth-fights his way to the top of the hotel.

Captain America with tuxedos and femme fatales?  I like it!

Overall, this issue hits it out of the park, with an engaging super-spy story and fantastic art. All that PLUS a backup of Kirby and Simon's first Captain America story. . .which is interesting, but honestly hasn't aged well at all. 

This one's a winner!

ISSUE TWO

A PAST THAT KILLS

After Jacob Erskine is assassinated and dies in his arms, Steve Rogers follows a thin trail of clues through the Madripoor underground . 

He eventually ends up at an isolated beach house where he encounters Erskine's wife, who exactly resembles Roger's first lost love (Cynthia Glass) and finally discovers the mastermind behind the plot, Machinesmith. 

The second issue in this series remains strong, but not quite as strong as the first. Once again, we see Steve Rogers in super-spy mode as he beats his way through the Madripoor underworld following clues, stakes out Erskine's wife, and recon's her hideaway. 

I really like seeing Steve Rogers in a Espionage role. . .unfortunately, things get a bit weak at the end when he finally puts the pieces together and discovers that Anita Erskine is a super-realistic android created by Machinesmith. . .who traps Rogers and uses a ray to de-activate his Super Soldier serum. 

In other words, the story takes a turn from super-spy action into typical comic book fare. A bit disappointing.

Overall, this issue is very strong until the ending, with fantastic art and Captain America in James Bond mode. Unfortunately, the weak ending doesn't really make me want to jump into the next issue.

ISSUE THREE

OVERPOWERED AND UNDERMANNED

After his Super-Soldier serum has been neutralized by Machinesmith, Steve Rogers fights his way out of captivity and with the help of the android Anita Erskine, regains his power and sets out to stop the auction of the new Super-Soldier formula. 

This third issue slumps a bit compared to the previous two. I was liking the "James Bond Captain America" style that the first two issues established. . .this issue is full of supervillain monologues and posturing from Machinesmith. . .typical superhero stuff.

And then there's the ridiculous notion that Machinesmith was able to create such a perfect replica of a human being (Anita Erskine) based on only an old photograph of Captain America and Cynthia Glass from WWII that she/it was able to fool Captain America AND her husband, Jacob Erskine.

I'm not trying to be indelicate here, but. . .one would THINK that a man would notice something strange if he was sleeping with a robot! I mean. . .there's a lot of intimate details to consider when constructing the various sexy areas of an android, I would guess. AHEM. . .moving along!

ANYWAY. . .

The art remains extremely solid and there are some nice story moments where Steve reveals that just because he isn't super strong, that doesn't mean he forgot how to do some sweet KARATE! But this issue is the weakest so far. I'm a bit concerned that after a strong start, this isn't going to end well.

And finally. . .

ISSUE FOUR

HAVOC, SUPER-SOLDIER STYLE

Steve Rogers enlists the aid of Hank "Beast" McCoy and the android Anita Erskine to defeat Machinesmith before he can auction off the new Super-Soldier formula. . .but after the battle, he discovers that the whole thing was a ruse serving a higher conspiracy. 

Here we are at the big finish! Lots of robot punching, explosions, and heroic posing.

It ties up the story at hand nicely. . .the good guys win, of course. Unfortunately, the ending is more of a "to be continued" than a 'The End".

It's revealed in a short epilogue that Jacob Erskine wasn't actually killed, and is working for the Shadow Council. Making the whole story somewhat pointless, and in the words of Steve Rogers, "What was this mission all about, then?"

Obviously, it was all about setting up another story. . .which is fine, but this storyline was never resolved anywhere, which defeats the whole purpose of this mini.

Overall, a pretty weak ending with a lot of robot punching and a dangling end that was never resolved. Disappointing after such a strong beginning.

CONCLUSION

I have mixed feelings about this one.  On the one hand, we get Captain America in an unusual super-spy role.  On the other, we have an unresolved storyline and robot punching. 

Overall, I'd have to say that this was a valiant effort on the part of Marvel to try and do something different with Captain America, but this wasn't the Captain America the fans wanted, so we have a strange little relic. . .an obviously unfinished piece of work that just sort of lurks forgotten in bargain bins.

It's really not a bad little piece of Longbox Junk.  Give it a read if you want to see a bit of a different take on Captain America backed up by some great art.  If Marvel just had a LITTLE more spine and stuck with it, this could have been really good.

Up Next. . .

How about some pre-"Longbox Junk" comic reviews that nobody ever asked for?

Okay. . .that's not entirely true.  Somebody DID ask for these at one time. I actually wrote the reviews I'll be posting here for the next several weeks (maybe months?) on assignment for another website several years ago (For actual money! Imagine that! Getting paid for things on the internet!)

They were in a bit of a different format, so I've had to do some tweaking to fit them more into what I'm doing these days, but they're still going to look a bit different.  That said. . .by any other name or form it's STILL Longbox Junk!

I just hate to let all that work I did go to waste on a website that no longer cares about comic books at all (they're more focused on movies and T.V. these days), and they're CERTAINLY not interested in comics that don't filter into the popular culture any longer.  So I'm reclaiming my Longbox Junk and giving it back to YOU!  You're welcome.

Be there or be square!