Kirby's Fourth World Gets Animated

[Andy Bentley caps his look at Jack Kirby's New Gods by looking at how they get picked up in the animated DCU.]

When Bruce Timm and co* approached the Superman Animated Series in 1996, they already had the Emmy award winning Batman: The Animated Series under their belt. The Superman character was nowhere near as relevant as Batman, so they took great lengths to make Superman and his world feel modern. One of the ways they did this was to incorporate the Kirby style into various objects. Timm explains:

When the time came to do Superman, we really didn't know what to do that would make it visually different from Batman but at the same time just as cool. We didn't wanna go back and make it look just like the Fleischer cartoons; I didn't want anybody to put our show up against Fleischer's and say, "Well look, they're doing the Fleischers, just not as well." One of the things we wanted to do with Superman was to kind of "Marvelize" Superman a little bit. That's why the police don't just carry handguns, but these Kirby-like weapons. All of the science-fictional elements in this series-whether it's a tank or something from outer space-has a kind of Kirby feel to it, or at least we try to. Even in the pilot, the origin story, there's this Brainiac satellite floating around Krypton and we tried for the longest time to come up with a design for it, and we didn't come up with anything I really liked. I found this Kirby gizmo in one of the Kirby comics and I turned it upside-down and said, "Hey! That's our satellite." There are things like that all the way through the show where we would just find Kirby-ish elements and turn them into things in the Superman show.

The other issue was that Superman's villains paled in comparison to Batman's rouges gallery. Timm goes on to explain:

Even Gods Must Die and The Hunger Dogs

[Andy Bentley finishes up his look at every issue of Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

“Even Gods Must Die!” - New Gods (reprint series) #6. November, 1984
“The Hunger Dogs!” DC Graphic Novel #4. March 1985

Mister Miracle #18 marked the end to the New Gods series at DC and as the 1970’s rolled on, there were two failed attempts to continue the story with different creators. It would take seventh iteration of the Super Friends animated series, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, to spark Kirby’s return. Super Friends needed some impressive villains for the Justice League to battle and Darkseid and his crew were a perfect fit. Kirby was hired to recreate several of his characters and was compensated well for his efforts. The Super Powers toy line was a huge success which led to DC to reprinting the series and then asking Kirby to conclude it.

This brings us to “Even Gods Must Die!”, which appears in the last reprinted issue towards the end of 1984. It opens on Orion entering Apokolips on what would appear to be the day of the fabled “final battle”. Immediately, I noticed a decline in the quality of the art. There are glaring perspective and anatomy issues and the art consistently felt flat. Mark Evanier mentions in the afterword that Kirby’s drawing hand had begun to fail him, so it would be cruel for me to dwell on it. Suffice to say, the art is a visual cue that the times have changed.

Mister Miracle 17 & 18

[Andy Bentley's pen-ultimate, or pen-pen-ultimate, look at every issue of Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

Mister Miracle #17 “Murder Lodge!”
Mister Miracle #18 “Wild Wedding Guests”

This is my 50th post on Kirby’s Fourth World, which also happens to be the end of the Fourth World Saga in sequential form. I cannot sum up the finale any better than the jacket liner to the Omnibus which proclaims “Kirby’s Epic Saga Concludes!”. It certainly does, but not in the fashion with which it began.

Let’s get the penultimate issue out of the way. Miracle, Barda and Shilo (now decked out in a red and yellow sidekick uniform) have their vehicle break down in an unknown part of town and seek refuge in a creepy old hotel. If you’ve ever seen any episodes of Scooby Doo, you know the rest of the story. The bad guy doesn’t dress as a ghoul or ghost, but he utilizes plenty of trap doors and knockout gas on our heroes. In the end, it turns out the trio resembled another trio of fugitives spotted in the area. Hence, the hostile treatment. The cops take the bad guys away and that’s really all that needs to be said.

Now, onto “Wild Wedding Guests”. The issue opens on the standard preparation of an escape act when suddenly there’s an attack of shock-grenades from above. The culprit is Virman Vunderbar, a formidable opponent from Apokolips. Miracle and Barda avoid the explosion with the help of Miracle’s boot-lasers. Then, out of nowhere, the two profess their deep and undying love for one another! Sure, there were hints several issues back, but I was hoping for at least a bit of a slow natural progression on this front. The blame probably lies on the abrupt cancellation of the title and not necessarily on Kirby’s plotting.

Mister Miracle 15 & 16

[Andy Bentley, going through Jack Kirby's New Gods, has reached that point where Mr Miracle is in that long, dark, editorially-screwed tea-time of the soul. Bear with him. Jack's bizarre return and outlandish non-ending are right around the corner.]

“The Secret Gun!” and “Shilo Norman, Super Trouble!”

Mister Miracle 15 introduces Shilo Norman, a troubled youth who Mister Miracle takes on as an apprentice by issues end. Norman would eventually succeed his mentor in Grant Morrison’s metaseries, Seven Soldiers. When I first saw Norman as Mr. Miracle, I scoffed at the idea. Scott Free was MY Mister Miracle. Now that I see there is precedent for Norman, my views have changed. This is a phenomenon that has occurred several times for me in the Fourth World series. The idea of a DNA Lab in metropolis that cloned Superman into a boy was ridiculous for me at age 14, but once I learned of the DNA lab’s origin in the pages of Jimmy Olsen, the fact became acceptable. If the Death of Superman is to be treated as a stand alone novel, then the writer revealing a cloning lab beneath the city halfway through the novel is suspect. However if the DC comic narrative is thought of as one large story, then the reveal seems congruent to the fantasy world.

Mister Miracle 13 & 14

[Andy Bentley looks at the next two issues of Miracle Man as part of looking at all the New Gods stuff.]

Mister Miracle #13 The Dictator’s Dungeon
Mister Miracle #14 The Quick and the Dead

Mister Miracle 13 and 14 share a number of similarities as Jack Kirby begins to settle into a groove for his final few issues. The villains, King Komodo and Madam Evil Eye, are not from Apokolips, but they share an inspiration: the third reich of Germany. Komodo is revealed to be a fugitive WW2 German scientist which is part of the inspiration for Darksied’s perverse assistant Desaad. Madame Evil Eyes is posing as the leader of a satanic cult and satanism has been linked to Hitler’s army in many forms of fiction, most notably Raiders of the Lost Ark. Both villains have secret lairs with hidden panels and trap doors for Mister Miracle to evade. Miracle ultimately disposes of both of them by using some amazing and previously unseen powers originating from the circuitry in his cowl. These resolutions were the most disappointing aspects of the issue as Miracle’s powers seem to grow with every issue.

Mister Miracle 11 & 12

[Andy Bentley continues his look at Jack Kirby's New Gods series -- for the final volume, generally considered to be a major fall off, he is going to look at two at a time. I, myself, wanted to read all of the New Gods issues after Final Crisis, but stopped right around here.]

“The Greatest Show Off Earth”
“Mystivac”

From here on out, I’m going to combine two Mr. Miracle reviews into one post. As mentioned previously in my column, the other Fourth World titles have been suspended indefinitely and Kirby has a mandate to make the Mr. Miracle title friendly to new readers. The result is a standard superhero tale with little mention of Apokolips or any other aspect of the ongoing saga.

“The Greatest show on Earth” involves the return of Doctor Bedlam to once again challenge Mr. Miracle’s skills as an escape artist. This is the first repeat villain we’ve seen in the series which is a sign something is off. If you do not remember, Bedlam is merely a consciousness which can inhabit any of the blank animate robots he controls. Like his last appearance, this one centers around the power of the mind and overcoming fear. The plotting is quite familiar: an elaborate trap that Miracle escapes with a generous contribution from his mother box.

The New Gods #11

[Andy Bentley. Kirby's New Gods Epic. Every issue. I was late putting this up folks. Sorry. End of term stuff, as usual.]

“Darkseid and Sons”

The final issue of The New Gods appropriately contains the most conclusive and important chapter of the Fourth World Saga to date. The issue features the second battle between Kalibak and and Orion, but this iteration has more depth and meaning. Kirby also reveals more backstory around Darkseid which makes his tale more shakespearean than totalitarian. Although it isn’t the ending Kirby hoped for, he finds an appropriate one for the situation.

After an opening prologue where Kalibak breaks free from the police force, the scene shifts to Orion and Lightray at their friend Dave Lincon’s apartment. Here, Orion is at his most manic and crazed. Kirby might has well drawn foam on the corners of his mouth. This characterization is unfortunately the one Morrison uses for his JLA run. I much rather the stoic and passionate version found in the early issues of the saga which is similar to the take Bruce Timm had in the recent DC cartoons. Although the attitude is grating, Orion’s point is quite welcome. His argument to Lightray is that they must be more proactive and take the fight to the villains of Apokolips. An organized effort from New Genesis to take on the invaders from Apokolips is something I have been looking forward to for quite a while. The point becomes moot when Orion learns of Kalibak has escaped and is moving quickly toward their location.

Forever People #11

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at the New Gods, where he takes on the last of the Forever People. On a personal note, I wish I had a good reason for not updating the blog yesterday but the truth is I just plain forgot. Sorry about that. Also -- what is the origin of this "five guys become / summon one guy" thing as seen in The Forever People, Voltron and Captain Planet?]

“Devilance The Pursuer”

This marks the final issue of the Forever People and with it Kirby provides at least a temporary resolution for the teens from New Genesis. The story features the return of a forgotten character and even a brief appearance by Darkseid and Dessad, but the issue is one long chase scene that provides very little in new concepts or deep characterization.

The final antagonist for the Forever People is Devilance The Pursuer, who bears more that a passing resemblance to the Manhunters, the robots the Guardians of the Universe retroactively used to police the space sectors before they enacted the Green Lantern Corps.. This is no coincidence, as Kirby would go on to create these cold and unrelenting soldiers in DC Comics 1st issue Special #5 in 1975. Devilance, like the Manhunters, is clad in red, carries a staff, and has an undeniable will to capture his prey. He shows up on the Forever People’s doorstep and tracks them over many lands to a final showdown on an unknown island. The FP’s take him on one by one to varying degrees of success and it isn’t until the return of the Infinity Man that the group is able to take the Pursuer head on.

Mister Miracle #10

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I make a comment below about Morrison.]

“The Mister Miracle to Be!”

As I opened the fourth and final Omnibus of Jack Kirby’s Fourth world, I was taken aback by the table of contents. There were no less than 9 Mister Miracle stories and only one remaining Forever People and The New Gods titles. I quickly turned to the introduction by Paul Levitz, who recently stepped down from the office of President and Publisher of DC Comics. Paul wrote a concise and affectionate letter about Kirby and his work at DC Comics. Levitz reinforced the fact that Kirby was the first to plan a series of interwoven titles rather than have the connections made after the fact ala the Marvel universe. He also praised Kirby for his imaginative storyboarding - something I believe Kirby learned through his love of film. The letter reinvigorated my spirit and I plunged into the first Mister Miracle issue. Unfortunately, the story did not live up to Levitz’ send off.

The New Gods #10

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

“Earth...The Doomed Dominion!”

New Gods #10 brings Mantis and his army of bugs to Earth which validates Orion’s warnings to the police department of impending doom. The conclusion to the battle is rather simple with a few interesting details.

As Mantis begins the march of the oppressed bugs towards Earth, the defector Forager is already there and causing quite a stir. He has pinched some food from a local bakery and is bounding across the city with the police in pursuit. My thoughts immediately drifted to Spider-Man who also crawls around in a half red suit, often on the wrong side of the law. Eventually the police capture him and take him to police HQ where Orion and Lightray are being detained. Forager recognizes Orion who greets Forager with disgust. Forager proclaims he is not a bug, and one of them. He removes his mask to reveal his human visage which convinces Lightray. This clears up some of my confusion on race and species on New Genesis, but also raises some more questions. However there’s no time for that with Mantis approaching. The district attorney orders the trio to stay, but Lightray whisks them away in a flash of light. The three hide above on a rooftop until Mantis and his horde approach. The battle begin in a kinetic splash page between Mantis and Orion and Forager and the bugs. Lightray realizes the numbers are against them and flies off to look for another option. I’m again struck by how well Orion and Lightray compliment one another. If the New Gods do in fact exist after Final Crisis, I’d like to request an Orion - Lightray book. Lightray discovers a Sonic R&D building which houses a transmitter that can reach the entire city. He requests their services to transmit a special frequency that only the bugs can hear. This turns the tide of the battle as Mantis and the bugs double over in pain, clutching their ears. They return to New Genesis via a boom tube as Orion, Lightray and Forager stand triumphant.

The Forever People #10

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

“The Scavengers!”

Deadman overstays his welcome in this second issue of his team up with the Forever People. Kirby’s apathy towards the character shows in the story’s flaws in continuity and resolution. DC editorial foisted this team up upon Kirby and it proves editorial must respect the boundaries of creative.

We open on a quasi-futuristic carjacking complete with magnetic boots and ejector seats. The criminals are a group known as The Scavengers and they have a Diabolik-type feel with mysterious code names and wild technology. They’re run by the director who bears more than a passing resemblance to the Batman villain, Humpty dumpty. He also has a hook for a right hand, implying he is the true killer Deadman is seeking out. The Scavengers have been scouting The Forever People for their super powers which in turn reveals Deadman’s resurrection to the Director.

Mister Miracle #9

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I am not going to lie to you. I literally just forgot to blog today, which is why this is going up after midnight. Sorry.]

“Himon!”

Like “The Pact!” before it, “Himon!” opens with a note from Mr. Kirby thanking us, the readers, for indulging his efforts on this issue. I’m at a loss as to what I’m indulging, as I found Himon to be as enjoyable as “The Pact!” before it. Kirby finally gives us the details of Scott Free’s escape from Apokolips which delves heavily into freedom of creative expression- something that if you have been following along, is a common theme in Kirby’s work at DC.

“Himon!” takes place after “The Pact!” but before the first issue of Mr. Miracle. The prologue sets up the issue’s villain, Willik, who is in the slums of Apokolips looking the legendary peaceful objector to Darkseid’s regime named Himon. Willik rounds up the people of the area and demands Himon step forth. Believing Darkseid’s subjects would willingly die for his regime, he sets the entire crowd afire to weed out the rabble rouser. With this act (and one further in the story), Willik becomes a more dangerous villain that any of Darkseid’s colorful flunkies we have seen before. His costume is not flashy, he has no gimmick or powers, yet he proves he will murder innocents for Darkseid rather than just threaten it. Kirby’s Fourth World is often said to have one foot in the past and one in the future. Willik is the villain of the future.

The Forever People #9

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

“Monster in the Morgue”

This latest issue borrows from the DC Brave and the Bold concept with the New Genesis teens beginning a team up with the newly resurrected Deadman. The afterword in the Omnibus explains that this plot was foisted upon Jack Kirby by DC editorial which Kirby wasn’t that enthused about. However his displeasure is not palpable as Kirby blends his fourth world characters well with elements of the horror genre.

We’re introduced to the villain of the week who is definitely cut from the mad scientist cloth. “Doc” Gideon is a part time morgue worker who’s obsessed with resurrection. His Frankenstein monster is a large male in tattered clothes and a bandaged head. When he pulls the lever which sends an “electro-organic” shock through the corpse, it doesn’t reanimate him. Rather, it brings back Deadman, the ghost of circus trapeze artist Boston Brand who possesses the ability to jump into and control living beings. This resurrection is lost on Gideon who returns to his home to sulk.

Mister Miracle #8

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods -- though he will be missing a few issues, as he explains. I make a brief comment below.]

“The Battle of the Id!!”

NOTE: This is usually the point where I would review the Jimmy Olsen title. However after reading issue #148, I found little to write about. The comic has become independent of the Fourth World saga, and the stories have become generic. I will continue to read the issues and will make a note in a subsequent column if I find anything interesting. But for now, I am just going to focus on New Gods, Forever People and today’s installment, Mister Miracle.

This issue is the conclusion of Mister Miracle’s, aka Scott Free’s assault on Apokolips to resolve his lingering issues from his tormented childhood. In the last issue, Miracle willingly surrendered to Granny Goodness in order to get closer to her whereabouts. Instead he was shipped off to section zero, which is rumored to be the worst Apokolips has to offer. His companion, Big Barda, is determined to save Scott but realizes she will need an army to do so. She returns to the home of the Female Furies, an all female team of women warriors which she used to command. The opening splash age depicts the Furies is a wild state of agitation. They’re fighting over who will command the team with Barda gone and the debate as devolved into battle. The Furies’ costumes have that Kirby signature look which makes one wonder what a Wonder Woman book would have looked like under Kirby’s pen. Another distinct detail is that many of the furies (and another woman seen later in the book) have wide eyes and tiny pupils, a look that says “madness”. Kirby seems to subscribe to the theory that war is a man’s game and any woman who stays long enough on Apokolips will be driven over the edge by it. At the sight of this bickering, Barda separates two combatants and proclaims herself leader once more. Simple, but effective.

New Gods #8

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I make a brief comment below, that spoils the end of Final Crisis (I don't think I need spoiler warnings if the thing has gone to graphic novel, right?)]

“The Death Wish of Terrible Turpin!”

The struggle between my preexisting knowledge of the animated New Gods and the original Fourth World comics comes to a head with this, Dan Turpin’s swan song. There was no way to read this comic without the feelings resurfacing from watching Apokolips...Now!, The two part season finale of Superman: The Animated Series. For those who are unaware, Dan Turpin is featured throughout the second season of the cartoon as a Detective of the Metropolis Police Department. He’s also modeled to resemble King Kirby himself and has a sacrifice in these episodes which mirrors the one in this issue. The real life Kirby died right around the time of the episodes so the whole thing becomes a very poignant emotional event for comic book fans. This issue has some strong character moments, but they don’t have the emotional resonance that Bruce Timm and his crew provided on the small screen.

The premise to this issue is not a new one to comic book readers. Villain (Kalibak) cuts a path of destruction through the city (Metropolis) in order to bring out the hero (Orion) to do battle. Orion heads this call, with his partner Light Ray at his side. Again, I’m enjoying the dynamic between the two of them as it doesn’t fall into cliche bickering like, for instance, the DC characters Hawk and Dove. Light Ray is the answer to Orion’s mercurial temper, asking Orion to be cautious or to think things through. However Light Ray also realizes they’re at war and does not cross Orions path during this crucial battle.

Kalibak’s motivations are simple hatred towards all of New Genesis, however in the Superman animated series, they added jealousy for Darkseid’s attention. Orion still fights for New Genesis, but the glee he takes in hurting Kaliback is as apparent as it was taking down Slig in issue 5. During the battle, Orion loses his helmet and Light Ray retrieves it for him. Ashamed of his visage, Orion keeps his head pointed away from Light Ray and yells “You saw my true face!”. Of course Orion had revealed his “true face” long before the Helmet came off.

Kalibak is defeated by then end of the issue, however it takes the intervention of the mortal Dan Turpin to do so. Turpin has been keeping track of the Fourth World invasion of his city/planet and is determined to put an end to it. Like most humans, Turpin is unnerved by the otherworldly or alien, and must make the supernatural fit into his world view. His refrain throughout the issue is that he’s going to put all of the New Gods behind bars, as if a human prison could hold any of them. Despite his officers pleas, Turin continues to jump into the battle with Kaliback, firing weapons and launching grenades while his body endures a tremendous amount of damage. Fighting towards victory without concern for one’s life is something Kirby saw a lot of during wartime. He might have drawn inspiration from wild cowboys and cutthroat soldiers from the movies as well. I also saw the battle as a meta struggle between the early “cops and robbers” comics Kirby started on and the superhero comics of the Silver Age. A guy in a fedora and a gun couldn’t compete with Spiderman or the Fantastic Four with young males in this era. Yet those older comics are where Kirby got his start, so he holds them in high regard. Why else would he bring back characters like Turpin and the Newsboy Legion? I doubt this was a conscious decision on Kirby’s part, but it’s something I saw from my point of view.

It takes the full electrical output from the city to knock out Kalbak - a moment to reinforce the power of humanity. Turpin appears to survive the experience, which is something his animated counterpart does not. Because of this discrepancy, I assumed Turpin would die by the end of the comic. This doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the issue, but it does make me realize that my objectivity for this project is ultimately compromised by the interpretation of these characters in other media.

Final Musings

-So Orion is in Metropolis, then? Maybe that’s the reason for all the traveling in the Jimmy Olsen title. I’m hoping for an Orion/Superman team-up down the road.

-Under Kirby’s pencil, people that have been beaten up take on a rocky, cragged look to their faces - not unlike The Thing from the Fantastic Four

-As pointed out in the forward, Kalibak has been on that building, doing his best King Kong impression, since New Gods #5. Not a big error in my book

-There’s some ambiguity in Orion and Kalibak’s shared past. Orion says the two fought when they were young, however Kalibak constantly refers to him as a New Genesis being and seems shocked at the reveal of Orion’s face. Hopefully we’re in for another flashback ala The Pact!

[Dan Turpin takes on a very strange role in Morrison's Final Crisis: he becomes the unwilling human host for Darkseid and dies when he dies (i think) -- from Batman's Bullet or Superman's singing or something. It is a strange fate to give him, especially when you remember that a lot of people thought he was a stand in for Kirby. The human trying to stand against the New Gods, BECOMES the worst of them; Kirby is figured as his most horrible and despotic creation? This reading does not really work for me -- there must be a better way to read Turpin in Final Crisis: who's got it?]

[I have also been thinking about the "Modernization" of Darkseid in post-Kirby appearances and I guess the things that don't ring right with me are just the fact that more than once Darkseid appears wearing a mask, which seems beneath his Satanic grandeur, and the fact that he comes from somewhere, that he was young at some point. Morrison writes him as a cosmic force of nature (Darkseid IS), and I like that. I bet there is a great argument that Darkseid is weaker in Morrison's hands, and I am totally open to hearing it.]

Forever People #8

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I make a brief comment below.]

“The Power!”

In the last Mister Miracle review, Geoff and I questioned Kirby’s ultimate definition of the anti-life equation. This issue of Forever People provides the most concrete depiction of the equation yet, however I’m not convinced Kirby will not change the rules further down the road.

The latest human to wield to power of command is ‘Billion dollar’ Bates, a stereotypical southern business tycoon who has gathered massive wealth and power by using his power of persuasion in business dealings. Early on in his career, he searches out a satanic cult known as The Sect who defines his ability as an otherworldly power. The Sect consists of an underground race of pink, hairless humanoid beings dressed in blue robes. In the prologue, several unseen people infiltrate the Sect and plan something involving Bates. In the following captions, Kirby explains Bates has built a massive compound above The Sect which is protected by his own private military. The caption is composed as a limerick, with much alliteration. It flows well - better than certain text pieces in past issues.

Jimmy Olsen #147

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I make a brief comment at the end.]

A Superman in Supertown!

This was the first enjoyable issue of Jimmy Olsen in a long time. The Pact! seems to have open the floodgates to the Fourth World as Superman is finally allowed to reach Supertown and even interact with Highfather, the man who made the pact all those years ago. Jimmy and the boys get into their usual hijinks, but the wild Kirby designs in this issue make it a visual feast even if it isn’t an intellectual one.

The story starts in the hospital with Jimmy back to normal and the newsies filling him in on the details. They now have a pet in the form of Angry Charlie, the last survivor of the mutants from the evil factory. Following in the tradition of many Hannah Barbara sidekicks, Charlie is food crazed, and causes trouble at every turn. The boys agree they’ve had enough of Scotland and power up the wiz wagon to return home. The trip is derailed, however, when the wagon is dragged toward an open volcano. The wagon lands on a tethered platform where self-proclaimed pseudo-men leap forth and zap the wiz wagon to parts unknown. These pseudo-men are essentially robots, so points to Kirby for the name and the odd all-orange design. The boys awake to find themselves dressed in new robes (creepy!) and the guests of Victor Volcanum. Volcanum, like our last villain, Kanto, has an aristocratic nature to his speech and dress. He drinks from a goblet of fire which means he’s more than human and he aspires to be the King of Earth.

Meanwhile, Superman has been following the tunnel looking for signs of invaders from Apokolips. So has Magnar, a New Genesis warrior and the two of them engage one another in combat thinking the other is the bad guy. They tussle through a Boom Tube and suddenly we have Superman on New Genesis. The fighting eventually stops once identities are made clear and Superman turns his attention towards Supertown, the place he’s been yearning for since the 1st omnibus. Magnar and his troops guide him to the city where Superman believes he will feel at home amongst the other super powered. Instead, he finds himself creating cultural faux pas over and over. The woman under the falling pillar doesn’t need saving, and the big metal robot is here to assist, not destroy. Mentally exhausted, Superman decides to take a seat where coincidentally Highfather is also resting. This is a great tease of a scene. This is our first appearance of Highfather since we’ve learned his origin so we’re eager to learn more about him. However, he’s in the book for one page, merely sitting and relaxing like anyone would. Superman explains his frustrations to him and Highfather, with a Santa Clause-like all-knowing, gently eases Superman into the mind frame that this place isn’t his destiny, however he’s needed back on his adoptive home planet. Highfather offers a way home via his wonder staff and in a flash, Superman is back on Earth. In fact, he’s inside the volcano with the boys who in the span of Superman’s travels, have been hung from a metal cage by Volcanum. Superman is about to leap to rescue them when the rocks of the volcano spring forth and pin the Man of Steel. To be continued...

What’s exciting about this issue is the economy of storytelling. Kirby interrupts right at the first turn of Volcanum from gracious host to mad man to tell the Superman story. Once we return, the boys are already in the standard death trap, and we can pretty much fill in how they got there. Kirby’s art was a standout here with the scenery on New Genesis and the design of Volcanum and his abode. The Jimmy issues had started to feel too distant from the Fourth world saga, and this trip to Supertown helps bridge that gap. . Hopefully this is a trend that will continue.

Final Musings

-The homesick Superman never felt quite right in my head, nor does the one that feels like he has to be amongst super people. His parents gave him his humanity in the form of Clark Kent which allows him to sneak into anonymity
-Volcanum is just odd. He has a mod apartment inside a volcano, he drinks fire and wears civil war mutton chops. Oh an he’s exceptionally tall. There has to be some more explanation next issue.

-An advanced referential moment occurs when Big Words (newsie with glasses) reacts to Volcanum’s intent to be the King of Earth: “That’s the kind of premise sold in “Golden Age Comics!!”. I didn’t think that terminology was that common in this era. Although Jack and Stan used to put themselves in the Fantastic Four’s NYC and there was a Marvel Comics in the Marvel universe the two worked for. Thinking of Spidey reading his own adventures used to make my brain hurt as a child.

[The essays with the Omnibus explain that A Superman in Supertown was supposed to be a kind of superhero version of It's A Wonderful Life with Highfather playing the angel to Superman's Jimmy Stewart, which is a really interesting idea -- except for various reason Kirby was dealing with other things and never really did the story justice except in a very truncated form. Which is too bad, because even though I agree with Bentley (and Grant Morrison) that Superman should be a pretty comfortable guy without a lot of angst about his "outsider" status it is a story I would like to read. The idea of a kind of Frank Capra/Jack Kirby crossover sounds really fun.]

Mister Miracle #7

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods. I make a very brief comment below.]

Apokolips Trap!!

After witnessing the transfer of the infant Scott Free from New Genesis to Apokolips in The Pact!, Kirby now begins the story of Free’s return to confront his tormentors. Under the guise of Mr. Miracle, Free becomes a symbol of rebellion who cuts a swatch through the forces of Apokolips with the help of his brash friend, Big Barda. Although Miracle is captured at the close of the issue, there has been a catharsis for the character; something much needed in order for him to move forward.

The issue opens on Apokolips, where the new crop of youth are being processed for Granny Goodness’ camps. The latest version os Apokolips’ jack-booted thugs are called the Harrasers. Dressed in blue, they bark orders at the children and beat them with a club if they fall out of line. They immediately recall the police brutality seen on college campuses during anti-war protests of the late 60’s and early 70’s. We’re also introduced to the Harasser who was held culpable for Scott Free’s first escape many years back. Although a common writing tool, this personal connection to Free’s torment will make his upcoming romp through Apokolips even more satisfying.

The scenery shifts to Earth where Free and Barda are saying goodbye to Oberon in their own ways. Oberon is heartbroken to have his new friends returning to a horror world he only knows through the villains who originate from it. After pretending not to care, Barda bends down to hug the little guy in a surprisingly touching moment. Barda tunes her Mega Rod to their destination and in a flash, they’re back on Apokolips. The thin plan they have to bluff on Barda’s past authority falls apart very quickly. Barda then becomes quite big, hurling insults at the troops left and right as she pulls down a stone tower and kicks in a vehicle for them to travel in.

The next page is an interlude from the action where Kirby continues to dance around the true nature of anti-life. The panels depicts the guards of Apokolips while the narration explains that although these mindless soldiers are devoid of life, it is unauthentic because it is manufactured. It isn’t the true anti-life which Darkseid hopes to ensnare. The anti-life that Sonny Sumo utilized was also deemed phony by Darkseid. I’m cannot tell if there’s a true version Kirby still wants to unviel, or if the equation is just a MacGuffin to move the story forward.

By the next page, we’re back to Barda and Miracle who have just been zapped out of the car they hijacked by the newest Apokolips character, Kanto. Kanto’s appearance gives you most of what you need to know about the character. His foppish hat, ruffled collar and purple robes are indicative of his aristocratic behavior, despite being the weapons master for Darkseid. He uses Barda’s own weapon to subdue her (something that will no doubt infuriate her) while his guards truss up Miracle. The death trap de jour is a firing squad, with Mr. Miracle on a moving metronome in front of a bullseye. Even the metronome, which keeps pace in music, keeps to Kanto’s cultured methods. After several misfires, they connect with a bomb cluster which leaves a large fibroid cocoon in it’s wake. This is a personal air bag for Mr. Miracle, and Kanto takes much delight in the gadgetry. Miracle is then trussed up by the legs and dragged by a chopper until he sends and electrical current through the chain that fries the bike. Kanto pushes Barda’s mega rod to Miracle’s temple and an odd game of wills ensues. Miracle proclaims Kanto will not kill him because he is merely an artist of weapons and that this type of work isn’t suited for a gentleman like Kanto. Kanto responds with the theory that Miracle is obsessed with death, and that death by him would be much quicker and painless than it will be at the hands of Granny Goodness. A mutual respect blossoms between the two and Kanto allows Barda and Miracle to head toward Granny’s location. Coming full circle, we agin see the Harrasers abusing the new recruits however this time they’re interrupted by Miracle and Barda. Miracle zeros in on Hoogin, the Harraser seen earlier and gives him what can only be described at a classic Kirby punch. Despite the mask, Hoogin knows it his his greatest failure that has come back to haunt him. Miracle forces Hoogin to contact Granny who orders Barda to be returned to the female barracks and Miracle to be sent section zero, where he will have to escape a trap made for the gods.

Final Musings

- After just seeing Inglorious Basterds, I got a Col. Hans Landa vibe from Kanto. Both are cultured gentleman who have a special talents and are willing to join an evil reich in order to practice their talents

-The getup Granny is wearing at the end is hilarious. She looks like the Wolf dressed up as granny waiting for little red riding hood

- The final page teases the “trap for the gods” and the image is something Batman readers should be familiar with. It’s the Lump, folks. The same Play-Doh looking creature that over took Bruce Wayne’s mind and gave him the mental adventure seen in Batman Last rites (Batman #682-683). This was the reason for Batman’s disappearance between Final crisis 2-6 as explained by a flow chart at DC panels and subsequent interviews with Morrison. Finding the Lump here again raised my ire at the whole R.I.P - Final Crisis debacle. First, is you’re explaining a story through flow charts, your boat is already sunk. Like the old proverb, if you have to explain the joke, it ain’t funny. Second, I’m pretty sure the Lump was last seen in these Mr. Miracle issues. This again leads me to suggest that Final Crisis was a mislabeled series. The least DC could have done is promoted these Kirby omnibus’ in anticipation of Morrison’s story. Sorry, rant over.

-The backup stories about young Scott Free continue. In this one he shows of his prowess with aero discs. They’re harmless, but don’t have too much substance.

[I was also very confused by the anti-life thing. Does someone want to make the point that there is a good reason for this? Or is it just messy writing and we are fine with that because Jack Kirby is Jack Kirby? And Batman: RIP was some nonsense, but it seems like nonsense connected to this: I feel like Morrison thought I was all innocent fun hype in the Kirby vein -- The DEATH of BATMAN! Is the Bad Guy SATAN or BRUCE WAYNE or BOTH? WHO KNOWS! ITS ALL IN GOOD FUN. But I still felt let down by the non-resolution to a story that was hyped as a resolution of at least SOME sort (knowing that these things never really get resolved, you can still resolve a RUN).]

New Gods #7

by Andy Bentley

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods -- and this is perhaps the most famous issue. I was recently called a Kirbyist/Millerist so you can see why I love it. I make a brief comment below.]

“The Pact!”

Backstory. It is a crucial part of the soap opera that is modern day superheroes. The backstory of The Fourth World has been slowly trickling out in the opening prologues of each title but “The Pact” is the issue where the levee breaks. Whether Kirby was saving this jewel in his back pocket or suddenly hit a patch of inspiration is hard to determine. What is apparent, is the passion and precision with which the story is told. A story that will fuel many artistic efforts in the years that follow.

The story opens on text from Kirby (akin to the text that began the series in the first issue) that explains the nature of New Genesis and Apokolips are dictated by the Atoms of Balduur and the evil of a sorceress, respectively. There has been a time of peace between the planets which is about to end. It begins with a couple sitting in a field, very much in love. A string of flowers and a dove behind them reinforce the emotions. Their nature can be gleamed by their appearances. Izaya wears a warrior’s garb while his wife Avia wears a blue outfit similar to a dove (war and peace). Their bliss is quickly interrupted by a horde from Apokolips, lead by the infamous Steppenwolf, leader of the troops of Apokolips. Izaya and Steppenwolf have it out in the traditional superhero way, except for an oddity in the form of a shadowed figure who looms in the distance. Izaya breaks through the troop and appears to have Steppenwolf dead to rights until Avia interrupts. Steppenwolf wheels around and fires a fatal radion bolt murdering her. Izaya barely has time to react before a mechanical golden hand knocks him unconscious. The next page reveals that the shadowed figure is in fact Darkseid, nephew of Steppenwolf, who struck Izaya with a construct from his “good friend” Desaad. And that’s just the prologue.

With the peace totem of Avia destroyed, the two worlds fall into war once again. The bombers from New Genesis drop belly buster bombs not unlike what planes would have been dropping during WW2. Could the old gods war be analogous to WW1 with this war mimicking WW2? In a bunker below, Darkseid and family are having a mafia style strategic meeting over dinner. The Don is Darkseid’s mother, Queen Heggra, who is unhappy with how the war is faring and blames her brother, Steppenwolf. Darkseid seizes this opportunity by unveiling the X-element to the table. The X-element is destined to be the source for Boom Tube technology and it’s potential is not lost upon the witnesses. The scene abruptly shifts as Metron of New Genesis appears out of thin air in front of the table. The mystery of Metron deepens with every appearance and this one is no different. This Metron of the past is manic and desperate to have the X-element to finish the construction of his mobius chair. Darkseid hands over the element, but only after humbling Metron and forcing him to share his innovations.

The effects of the X-element are seen as giant dragon ships teleport to the surface of New Genesis, burning anything in their path. Steppenwolf follows, with his demon pack in tow when he’s suddenly knocked off his saddle by a burst of energy. He looks up to see Izaya the Inheritor, alive and well, ready to exact revenge for Avia’s murder. Avia destroys Steppenwolf with his cosmic staff which causes the the forces of Apokolips to retreat. Once again, Metron appears and he and Izaya agree that Darkseid is the true reason behind this bloodshed. At that moment, planetoids sent by Darkseid begin to rain upon New Genesis. A montage of war fills the next page. Wild Kirby inventions like techno cosmic machines rain space junk on New Genesis while giant biological mutations attack merely by treading upon the land. Even Mammoth suns are transformed into cosmic lasers. Kirby builds a crescendo of violence upwards and outwards in imagination and scale until we return to see Izaya who literally wears the cosmos upon his shoulders. Despondent, Izaya wanders through the devastated lands of New Genesis, ruminating on what may remain of his soul. He casts his armor and weapon towards the gaining winds and shouts to the heavens, yet still continues to wander until he encounters a wall. A rectangular slab in the middle on nowhere. He calls to it, demanding to know what exactly is the inheritance of Izaya the Inheritor? An answer is given, in the form of a flaming hand which scrolls “THE SOURCE” in flames.

Time passes, and the war is finally ended in a pact. A pact that sends the first born of Darkseid and Izaya to one another as adopted sons. Their identities? Scott Free (Izaya’s boy) and Orion (Darkseid’s progeny). Scott is sent to Granny’s camp to endure the torture we’ve seen in the back pages of the Mr. Miracle while an older Orion arrives on New Genesis, ready to strike like a cornered dog. The first man Orion encounters is an older Izaya, who now goes by the name, Highfather. Highfather subdues Orion by showing authority, but also calling for peace. An uneasy truce is made and the readers are left to fill in the blanks until the present day.

This is the type of material that earns the distinction The Fourth Wold garners from it’s fans. There is war, and no doubt Izaya’s remorse stems from Kirby’s war experience. There is mythology, culled from religions and fables and it feels like a cumulation of Jack’s comic book work. There’s even a bit of Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. But the result is something entirely new due to Kirby’s imagination. Almost every panel is dynamic and as vivid as 4 color printing could offer. New gadgets and creatures turn up on every turn of the page and I was never bored by the dialog. But the most important factor is the backstory. Now I care about Highfather and his mission. His struggles and sacrifices have made me emotionally invested. Before this, he was just some old wizard type of character. To know that Metron was once as mercurial and emotional as his New God brethren has me yearning for more explanation. The story of Darkseid’s rise to power was also interesting, but his character was already well fleshed out before this issue. The reveal of the identities of the sons was telegraphed early on, yet now I anticipate the two meeting their biological fathers even more. The source wall continues to be an eerie entity which intrigues me as does the mention of the uni-friend who is attached to it in some way. Kirby has set the stage for quite the main event, the question is whether it will be waiting for me in that final Omnibus.

Final musings:

Izaya, a New God, shouts to the heavens for an answer, something us mere mortals tend to do. It would appear that even the New Gods have deities they worship.

Izaya evokes Charlton Heston’s Moses during his trek to the source wall. Both wield a staff and bring back answers from the divine on a stone tablet,

Darkseid’s incongruity in appearance with the rest of the family makes me think Steppenwolf and his sister were created for this issue and the family connection was not thought out in advance.

One nerdy tidbit was the bombs were dropped to eliminate the fire pits on Apokolips which power it’s machinery. I always wondered what their purpose was.

Metron’s appearance is out of thin air, not unlike David Bowie’s character Agent Philip Jefferies in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Blog posting synergy, Jill Duffy!

[I always thought it was weird that Darkseid HAS a backstory. Morrison's "DARKSEID IS" seems about right to me. In my imagination he has always been the one true evil in the DCU. The idea that he was young, or took orders, or had a mom just never seemed right to me, although I agree with everyone that this issue is one of the very best comics ever.]

Jimmy Olsen #146

[Andy Bentley continues his issue by issue look at Jack Kirby's New Gods.]

“Homo Disasterous”

There’s little to be said of this Jimmy Olsen title that hasn’t already been said. Olsen has once again been mutated, this time regressing into a powerful prehistoric man. We see him resisting and destroying throughout the issue, all the while grunting and howling. His destruction ultimately causes the Factory to explode, but not before Jimmy and the Newsboys leap through the shrink ray to return them safe and sound at full size. The cover image depicts Superman taking on the cro-magnum Jimmy, however that never occurs in this issue. Superman is only briefly glimpsed watching Dubbilex’s mental powers and ruminating over the influence of the New Genesis/Apokolips battle’s effect on Earth. The only significant scene involved the other Newsboys being dragged into an atomic furnace, which resembles a large oven. Above them are human bodies being trafficked in tubes. This scene is reminiscent of the horrors the Third Reich unleashed on the Jewish population. Symian and Mokkari then become the fabled mad scientists that worked for Hitler’s army. The issue actually resembles an earlier issue where the two scientists unleashed a mindless and powerful Jimmy Olsen clone. Kirby took the Jimmy Olsen book as a favor to DC and by now seems to have lost interest in the title. The next New Gods issue looks pretty great so stay tuned.