The Russian Starfire

A young teenage boy who accompanied his archeologist father to investigate what they discover to be crashed alien spaceship in the Siberian wastes near the Yenisei River in Russia back in June, 1908...the lad sneaks into the spaceship at night, where he triggers an energy blast that gives him great strength and speed, turning him into Russia's first hero....Starfire!

This Starfire debuted in Teen Titans #18 (November-December, 1968), and would later be tied to the Teen Titans.

Eye Of The Beholder!

In Teen Titans #18 (November-December, 1968) by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman and Bill Draut, under a Nick Cardy cover, we first meet Starfire in Stockholm, Sweden, where the Teen Titans and Starfire have to work together to stop the jewel thief, Andre Le Blanc from stealing the crown jewels.  Kid Flash, of all the Teen Titans, is especially displeased for their American team to have to work with the Russian hero, and the Russian lad is none to fond of his American counterparts.    The teens get a chance to try to capture Andre when he takes a practice run, but the team just works against each other, allowing Le Blanc to escape.  

The kids regroup, with tensions running high, when they split up to guard the thief's next target.  There, Andre traps Aqualad, Kid Flash, Robin and Wonder Girl (all under the watchful eye of Starfire)...with Starfire eventually confronting Le Blanc, who bests him and puts his life in danger. Thankfully, Starfire had freed the Teen Titans from their traps (who held back to allow Starfire the honor of capturing Le Blanc), and together, they bring Andre to justice, learning the lesson that all men of all nations need to work together.

A Pretty Girl Is Like A -- Maladi!

With New Teen Titans #18 (April, 1982) by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Romeo Tanghal, the original Starfire returns (and his given name of Leonid Kovar) is revealed.  Here, starting in a forgotten bureau in the Soviet Union, Marek Slavik finds out his son Tomas was killed by Americans.  Marek's brother Tomas and wife Sonya were also killed earlier in two incidents involving the American army, and thus Slavik plots revenge.  Using a long abandoned project, Slavik infects his secretary, young bride-to-be Maladi Malanova, with a radiation (unbeknownst to her), and sends her with papers to deliver to New York City (promising her that she will be back before her wedding...a lie).  Later, King Faraday, of the FBI, recruits Robin and Wonder Girl to inform the other Titans that their old "friend", Starfire, is back in the USA on a covert mission. 

The Titans gather in their tower, and look for Kovar, finding that one of the custom agents at the airport collapsed (where Maladi was 3 days before) and was taken to the hospital. Raven finds out that the man was infected with a radiation poisoning and the Kovar was interested in this as well.  Kovar closes in on Maladi, but the Titans interfere, thinking he might be responsible to the radiation poisoning.  The Titans capture Kovar, where he explains that Slavik poisoned his secretary to spread death in America, and that though she cannot be saved, anyone she touched could be.  Kovar escapes Titans Tower to continue to go after her, while Maladi goes to a doctor to see about her sickness.  

Kovar tracks her down, and lets her know of her dire situation, and that he plans to kill her.  The Titans show up and fight him, stopping his plan.  They take her to a hospital where she dies.  Kovar, after being confronted by Kid Flash by his cold plan to kill her asks why...and Leonid explains that instead of the slow death she got he was to offer her a quick death, as he could do no less for the woman he was engaged to.

Though not in the issue, Kovar got a new heroic name, that of Red Star in Action Comics #551, and fought alongside the heroes during the Crisis On Infinite Earths, was later involved with the first Justice League International/Suicide Squad team-up, came back to America to fight with Hammer and Sickle of the People's Heroes at S.T.A.R. Labs, got a new costume and joined the Titans during the Titans Hunt against the Wildebeest, during which time he developed energy manipulation powers, stayed with the team until Zero Hour, but returned again with yet another new costume, all the while, loyal to Russia, yet also an honorable hero.

George Perez's Fantastic Titanic Firsts

Welcome to something a little different this time around, as I get a little personal about my favorite artist, George Perez, and reflect on a few of the places I first encountered his work on certain titles (focusing on the big teams) over the years for my entry this time for the Super Blog Team-Up.

Avengers Assemble

To start, the first Avengers issue I read featuring George Perez on art (well, about half the issue), written by Steve Englehart, with interior inks by John Tartaglione and cover inks by Mike Esposito, Avengers #150 (August, 1976), well into George's first run of Avengers, but still pretty early in his career.

What an issue to be introduced to the Avengers!  True, Steve and George only did the first 6 pages, and half of that was historical info on the Avengers, with the last half being a reprint of the Avengers first roster change into Cap's Kooky Quartet, this and its following issue was a great place to start on the long history of the Avengers, and gave me a love for this team (and you can follow that start here as well).

Improbable As It May Seem - The Impossible Man Is Back In Town

Next up, the only issue of the bunch with a cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott, is this Roy Thomas penned tale, with George inked by Joe Sinnott on the inside, Fantastic Four #176 (November, 1976), as the first time I encountered George with the Fantastic Four.

Following up on a run of issues where Ben Grimm was a man in a Thing suit, here Ben and his three fantastic teammates were returning to Earth in a space ship as Ben had changed back into the Thing.  Due to some mishaps, the team crashed their spaceship into Central Park.  

With all the excitement, the team lost track of their guest, the shape changing Impossible Man (who, in his wandering found the offices of Marvel Comics, and had some adventures with Stan, Jack, Roy, George and the rest of the Marvel Bullpen...which also allowed George to draw some parts of the Marvel Universe he hadn't gotten too yet....).

More than a little love for the Fantastic Four here, as I covered their Marvel Index book (as well as the Avengers one).

Apokolips Now

Here, a switch, and a bit of a bittersweet issue, as George took over art duties from Dick Dillin, who had passed away only finishing the first five pages of this issue, is Justice League of America #184 (November, 1980), written by Gerry Conway and cover inks by Dick Giordano, with interior inks by Frank McLaughlin.  This being George's first JLA issue (though I had read many before).

The second part of a three part JLA/JSA crossover involving the New Gods, a chance to throw George into the deep end of the DC Universe as he switch over from Marvel, with small teams of Justice League and Justice Society members working with Jack Kirby's New Gods against the forces of Apokolips as they tried to resurrect Darkseid (showcasing George's ability to do backgrounds, like when he did Marvel's Logan's Run!)

More of this JLA/JSA team up here, and the other JLA/JSA team up George drew here!

The Birth Of The Titans

Last, but by no means least, New Teen Titans #1 (November, 1980), written by Marv Wolfman, with cover inks by Dick Giordano, and interior inks by Romeo Tanghal, technically the second appearance of the team (though only Raven and Robin were in DC Comics Presents #26 in a non-dream sequence), this was chosen for that incredible cover, and its historical significance.

The Titans had been a team before, but things were going to be different here, as the alien Koriand'r (later to be Starfire) was making her way to Earth, as empathic Raven started to manipulate Robin into reforming the Teen Titans with old standbys Wonder Girl and Kid Flash (adding an infrequent member, Beast Boy, to the team, but giving him the new name of Changeling...and setting up future storylines for Donna, Wally and Gar).

Raven was also motivating injured Vic Stone to accept the deal life had given him by turning this student athlete into Cyborg, getting him to go along with the rest of the team.  These Titans, together, rescued Starfire from the Gordanians she had escaped from, but the mysteries of why Raven would want this group together would unfold over the next few issues (as well as the problems that Wilson lad would give the team, especially after his father got involved as well).  

Here, a little more history of the newer members of the Titans team, with more of George's artwork!

Since I'm breaking tradition a little, going more with my feelings towards the material as opposed to just the facts, here, a picture of me with the legend himself, from the Motor City, where I was his overflow line coordinator (and got a chance the next day on my off day to meet and get a sketch from George...one of three times I've met Mr. Perez over the years, and I'm grateful to have done so as he is a fantastic person).

I am not only only fan who appreciates the work of George Perez, so here are a few more articles from the SBTU gang!

Here they are:

The Superhero Satellite:

PEREZ  

Between the Pages Blog:

George Perez’s Uncanny X-Men

Source Material:

Brave and the Bold #1-6

In My Not So Humble Opinion:

I-BOTS from Tekno Comix

*51:

JLA/Avengers: It Had to be George

The Telltale Mind:

Future Perfect - Hulk: Future Imperfect

Comics Comics Comics blog (JJG):

Justice League of America 200 and discovering George Perez

RAdulich in Broadcasting Network:

Comic Stripped: Logan’s Run

The Daily Rios:

A George Pérez Celebration #2

Batman And The Outsiders Meet The New Teen Titans

Along time ago, before the internet and digital downloads, one would look into the window of a comic shop and see posters of upcoming events....

...one such as this wonderful poster by George Perez and Jim Aparo, promising the excitement of a meeting of the New Teen Titans and Batman and the Outsiders!

This happened in an issue of each of their series....as follows!

Light's Out, Everyone

Starting the crossover fun was New Teen Titans #37 (December, 1983) by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Romeo Tanghal....with this half of a connected cover by George Perez (one of the earliest examples of this trick).


The issue starts out with Gizmo, one of the members of the Fearsome Five, helping to start a prison break for the other members of the team...matter manipulating Shimmer; her brother, super strong Mammoth; devious Dr. Light (former JLA and Teen Titan foe) and psionic Psimon.  These villains have a plan to increase their power, and plan to use scientist Dr. Helga Jace to help (as she had helped Shimmer and Mammoth in their past, being an expert on metahumans).

Meanwhile, in the Titans Tower; Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Changeling, Cyborg, Starfire and Raven were finishing a meeting and dealing with newest member, Terra (matter manipulator), when Terra got a mysterious signal (of much distress to her, as she immediately goes off because of it....foiling her secret plans to get more information on the Titans, as Terra is a secret agent for Deathstroke the Terminator).

Her alarm went off signalling the kidnapping of Dr. Helga Jace, and Terra arrives at the doctor's home, only to find Metamorpho, Black Lightning, Halo and Katana there....and Terra attacks!  The group fight her as the Titans start to arrive (usually team up trope), but then Kid Flash and Wonder Girl recognize Metamorpho and Black Lightning (and vice versa), so the fighting stops.

Just in time, as Geo-Force arrives....and greets Terra as his sister, Tara Markov!  Seems Tara had gotten her Earth powers a year before, and Geo-Force was looking for her,  but hadn't found her.

The teams unite and realize they must look for the villains, the Fearsome Five, who took Jace (and both teams contact their leaders... ...Robin/Dick Grayson of the Titans and Batman/Bruce Wayne of the Outsiders.. ..who are meeting at Wayne Manor to discuss recent problems the two are having, with Jason Todd in the background, and Alfred Pennyworth letting them know their teams need them).

The entirety of both teams unite at Titans Tower, where they search for clues to find the Fearsome Five (getting notice that they are experimenting on homeless people....turning them into mud men).  The teams (with Batman taking over as leader, much to Robin's dismay), go to a Gotham island where the Fearsome Five are, but....the villains and their mutated men of the Mud Pack attack, and the villains flee....and blow up the island....sinking the heroes.....

Psimon Says

Batman And The Outsiders #5 (December, 1983) came out soon after, by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo (with Marv Wolfman as a co-plotter and cover by George Perez and Jim Aparo, giving the second half of a connected cover...letting you know these two issues connected in story, a piece occasionally forgotten in modern connected covers).

It starts with our heroes sinking in light of the explosion they just faced, with Batman feeling concerned because he was counting on Robin and the Outsiders to take care of Gotham should he die, and Robin thinking they wouldn't be in this predicament had he led instead....thankfully, Terra and Geo-Force work together and save the heroes from a watery grave, saving themselves and Dr. Jace.

Batman takes charge (as he did when working with Titans in Brave and the Bold), suggesting they go to the closer Outsiders headquarters under Wayne Foundation (though the Outsiders are unaware of Batman's true identity, unlike the Titans of Robin's).  Wonder Girl and Halo talk of their lack of knowledge of their parents' identities, and Kid Flash and Black Lightning talk of how they both tried to walk away from being heroes but came back, as Batman again takes dominance of the two teams.

Meanwhile, the villains have a falling out, as Psimon takes over his team, directing the others against Dr. Light, who escapes....leading to his being caught by the heroes.  They find out the villains had a plan of taking over New York City with a mind control device, and with Dr. Jace's help, find a way to immunize the heroes against it.

The Fearsome Five (less one) were using the Empire State Building to center their device and succeed in taking New York....as the heroes arrive to stop them, with Batman trying to divide the teams when Robin speaks up, saying Batman's orders will likely get them killed, and comes up with a division of the teams that takes advantage of his knowledge and experience, which does allow them to defeat the villains, and Batman and Robin finally make peace at the end (as Terra and Geo-Force plan to unite their family again sometime soon....).

All of this lays out a plan for future issues of both series, as Dick Grayson retires as Robin (and Wally West retires as Kid Flash), with Dick soon taking on the identity of Nightwing, as Donna Troy/Wonder Girl finds her real family (with help from Dick); and Black Lightning is confronted by the Masters of Disaster (and the reason he lost his powers for a time), and Halo discovers her true identity (and origins of her powers), with Geo-Force having to deal with fallout from more revelations and problems from his sister, Terra.

Psimon and the Fearsome Five return right before the Crisis On Infinite Earths as well, as the Titans and Outsiders will work together then too.

Read these yourself in New Teen Titans Volume 6 Tradepaperback of 2017 (including Dick and Wally's retirement) or Batman and the Outsiders Volume 1 Hardcover of 2017 (including the teams' origins, more on Markovia and Black Lightning's power problems)....a shameless bit of advertisement for DC, who brought readers these classic tales!


For those interested in comic marketing, and some of the ways done to make comics appealing to readers and give us some things to follow, check out my fellow Super Blog Team Up members blogs', as our assignment was to cover gimmicks that sell comics, focusing on the later years of Chromium...wherein covers were shiny to sell comics!


Participants include:

Super-Hero Satellite: 70s-80s Photo Covers

Comic Reviews By Walt: The 90s Revisited: Shiny Covers

Chris Is On Infinite Earths (Blog): Adventures Of Superman 500 (White Bag and Lenticular Cover)

Chris Is On Infinite Earths (Podcast): Episode 33: Team Titans 1 (1992) Five Variant Covers

Source Material: Spider-Man Torment (1-5 by Todd McFarlane)

Comicscomicscomics.blog: Daredevil Fall From Grave (319-325) Gimmick Covers and costume changes

The Telltale Mind:  Worlds Collide - the Intercompany Crossover

Between The Pages: Guerrilla Marketing

DC In The 80s: Justin's 5 most memorable DC gimmicks from 1990-1995 including Robin, Spectre and more!

Comics In The Golden Age: Fawcett's Mighty Midgets comics

Unspoken Issues: Darkhawk 25

When It Was Cool: Polybags!

In My Not So Humble Opinion: Pop-Up Cover Force Works 1

Black & White and Bronze Comics Blog: Stan Lee's foray into the magazine format with Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine of 1968


I thank all my regular readers for also checking out all these great members of the Super-Blog Team-Up family, welcome new readers brought to me because of the SBTU, and thanks to everyone for a love of comics as well all team up well!!

Crisis Recruits

The Crisis On Infinite Earths started in Crisis On Infinite Earths #1 (April, 1985 by Marv Wolfman and George Perez), with the Monitor transforming his assistant, Lyla, into the Harbinger, and sending her off to recruit various heroes (and villains)  to help save the Multiverse.

While that first issue showed some of the recruitment meetings, others were handled in the individual titles of characters.

Here is where Harbinger reached out past the Crisis title.....

Firebrand

In "Crisis Point" for All-Star Squadron #50 (October, 1985) by Roy Thomas, Mike Clark, Vince Colletta, Arvell Jones and Tony DeZuniga (with cover by Jerry Ordway), Harbinger echoed her retrieval of the second Firebrand (Danette Reilly) from a War Bonds rally on Earth-2, April 1, 1942....

...but so much more happened as well.

The current JSA was "Shanghaied Into Space" in an adventure based on their appearance in All-Star Comics #13 (October-November, 1942 - but, instead of going to the eight other planets of their own solar system, they were sent through hyper-space to other dimensional versions of Sol's planets, that were inhabited).

The rest of the Quality heroes (including Plastic Man and Phantom Lady) followed Uncle Sam to Earth-X (an unfortunate world where, at the time, the Nazis were winning World War II).

Commander Steel, behind enemy lines, defeated his enemy, but was thrown into another Earth (Earth-1) that had no super heroes during World War II, and there he remained (having a grandson, who would be Steel in the JLA).

Johnny Chambers and Libby Lawrence (Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle) got married, and headed to their honeymoon, except for the red skies, which had Green Lantern (Alan Scott) come for their help, and then ended them up on Earth-S for a time.

The All-Star Squadron as a whole was a part of the Crisis from All-Star Squadron #50 to #60, and these issues were reprinted in the Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Volume 1 of 2018.

Obsidian

In "Helix Goes To Hollywood" from Infinity, Inc. #18 (September, 1985) by Roy and Danette Thomas, Todd McFarlane and Pablo Marcos, the members of Infinity, Inc. were facing their foes, the super villain team Helix, when Harbinger arrived to take Obsidian (Todd Rice) away.

The rest of the team soldiered on, getting involved in the Crisis up to Infinity, Inc. #25, as well as their first annual and being part of the last JLA/JSA team up in Justice League of America #244 (with these issues all being reprinted in the Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Volume 2 of 2019.

Firestorm

Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein were trying to settle into their new life at college in Pittsburgh in "Storm Warning" from Fury Of Firestorm #41 (November, 1985) by Gerry Conway, Rafael Kayanan and Ian Akin (cover by Rafael Kayanan and Dick Giordano).

Harbinger, bring along Psycho-Pirate, came to retrieve Firestorm (and Psycho-Pirate's emotion manipulation powers caused a little bit of a problem first, as he induced fright in Martin Stein, the "thinking" half of Firestorm).

This issue and the next of Fury of Firestorm were this titles Crisis crossovers, and were reprinted in the Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Volume 1 of 2018.

Cyborg

Cyborg (Victor Stone) was Harbinger's recruit from New Teen Titans #13 (October, 1985) by Marv Wolfman, Eduardo Barreto and Romeo Tanghal, in "Crisis".

This issue showed that some time had passed between Harbinger taking Cyborg to the Monitor's satellite and the effects of Crisis hitting Earth...

...as shown when the Titans, Outsiders and Superman dealt with some Crisis problems (mirroring issue #3 of the main Crisis series), as well as the Titans involvement in Crisis #4-#9, and Wonder Girl getting help from Firehawk in Fury of Firestorm #42, while Nightwing, Starfire and Jericho go back to Starfire's homeworld of Tamaran (which unfolds over the next few issues of New Teen Titans, also involving the Omega Men).

New Teen Titans #13 and #14 are reprinted in the Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Volume 2 of 2019.

Green Lantern

The last individual recruited was Green Lantern in Green Lantern #194 (November, 1985) by Steve Englehart, Joe Staton and Bruce D. Patterson in "5".  Green Lanterns Katma Tui and John Stewart were coming back from a space mission, when they see the red skies on Earth, and check in with Green Arrow and Black Canary in Star City to find out what is going on.

That is when Harbinger shows up to recruit John, but first a battle happens between Green Arrow, Black Canary and Katma against Harbinger.

Explaining her need, she takes John along (as soon as he "fixes" his costume).  Meanwhile, former Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner are taking steps to get their hands on a Power Ring, with the Guardians of the Universe providing an unexpected answer.

John Stewart goes through the same scenes he did in Crisis #1 and #2, fighting Shadow Demons and learning about the threat the worlds face.  This story, and the rest of the Green Lantern Crisis issues are reprinted in the Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Volume 1 of 2018.

The other original recruits of the Monitor were King Solovar of Gorilla City, Dawnstar of the 30th Century Legion of Super-Heroes, Blue Beetle of Hub City, Psycho-Pirate (JSA foe), Arion (lord of ancient Atlantis), Psimon (of the Fearsome Five), Geo-Force (of the Outsiders), the Golden Age Superman, Green Lantern foe Dr. Polaris, and Firestorm foe Killer Frost (the second version of his original foe).

This group faced a breach of Monitor's satellite by the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons, and then were dispatched through time and space to protect the Monitor's towering tuning forks in an attempt to stave off the Crisis.....

Watching The Monitor: New Teen Titans and Green Lantern

Starting a look into the man who was investigating the DC Universe, the Monitor.

In his earliest appearances, he spend his time watching and planning.....and, planning right now to look at what he did during those brief appearances.

First up, a look at issues of New Teen Titans and Green Lantern.

Beware The Wrath Of ...Brother Blood

New Teen Titans #21 (July, 1982) by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Romeo Tanghal, was the first appearance of the Monitor (such as it is  - that's him watching in the satellite), as well as the first appearance of Brother Blood (a villain that would continue to vex the Titans), as well as a hint of problems with Raven.

A quiet start, showing the Monitor's interest in events, but little more.  This story has been reprinted a few times, including in the New Teen Titans Volume 4 TPB.

The Murder Machine

New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983) was the next appearance of the Monitor by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Pablo Marcos.  This issue also introduced the assassin Cheshire (along with others) as they were hired from the Monitor (who revealed an assistant, Lyla, later to be known as Harbinger) to deal with the Vigilante (the identity assumed in this book by Adrian Chase, to deal with the crime syndicate that killed his family).

This issue has been reprinted many times, including in the New Teen Titans Volume 5 TPB and in Vigilante by Marv Wolfman Volume 1 TPB.

Old Friends, New Foes...

Green Lantern #173 (February, 1984) by Len Wein and Dave Gibbons was where the Monitor and Lyla next showed up, as Hal Jordan settled back to life on Earth and at Ferris Aircraft (and to being Green Lantern).  To stop Green Lantern, the Monitor was hired, and provided the villain, Javelin (in his first appearance).

This story was reprinted in Green Lantern Sector 2814 Volume 1 TPB.

Mind Games

Green Lantern #176 (May, 1984) by Len Wein, Dave Gibbons and Dick Giordano, with the Shark taking a bite out of Green Lantern is the next appearance of the Monitor and Lyla.  The Demolition Team (a team of villains) premiere in this issue, again, with help from the Monitor. 


This story was reprinted in Green Lantern Sector 2814 Volume 1 TPB.

A Bad Case Of The D.T.s

Green Lantern #178 (July, 1984) by Len Wein and Dave Gibbons helps firmly entrench the Monitor and Lyla in the DC Universe, as Congressman Jason Bloch tries to get out of deal with the Monitor, and you can see that doesn't go well (ending this little subplot with the Monitor, Lyla and the Congressman, establishing that the Monitor knows where to find villains)...

This story was reprinted in Green Lantern Sector 2814 Volume 1 TPB, with many more great Green Lantern stories (not unlike those here).

Final Conflict

Tales of the Teen Titans #47 (October, 1984) by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Mike DeCarlo, is the last of the appearances of the Monitor and Lyla we'll be looking at now, as the Titans (working with returning member Aqualad and his girlfriend, Aquagirl), defeat the H.I.V.E...with the Monitor and Lyla providing the epilogue to this story.

This issue was reprinted in the New Teen Titans Volume 7 TPB.

These appearances just give a slight tease as to what the Monitor might be up to in his satellite, watching the Earth, but future appearances will show more, including the Justice League of America, Infinity Inc., the Legion of Super-Heroes and more spots of the DC Universe as the Monitor continues to catalogue.....as these heroes and more head to meeting in the Crisis On Infinite Earths.