Star Trek ReAction Figures 2015 Series 1

Coming in March, 2015, you can take your action figures boldly, where they've never gone before!

Funko is starting a series based on the original Star Trek for their ReAction line, and you can have Spock, Dr. McCoy, Sulu and Uhura in 3 and 3/4th inch size, to reenact scenes on the Enterprise.  It would only be logical to assume that Kirk, Scotty and Chekov would follow...

Our Love Story by Spider-Man?

At one time, comics weren’t all guys in spandex fighting each other.

They had war, espionage, humor…and romance!

There were many books that focused on romance, but, I’ll focus on “Our Love Story” from Marvel Comics.

The series ran 38 issues from October, 1969 to February, 1976, and over the years featured work by writers Stan Lee, Steve Englehart and Gerry Conway and the usual Marvel Bullpen artists, including John Romita, John Buscema, Don Heck, Gene Colan, Jim Sterenko, Jim Starlin, Sal Buscema, Gil Kane and Alan Weiss, as well as reprints from earlier romance books with art by Vince Colletta, John Forte, Jay Scott Pike, Matt Baker and Jack Kirby!

Later issues reprinted earlier stories, as well as covers! Check out some of that crazy cover copy…

 ...more drama than 50 Shades of Gray!

Or at least as much as the Comic Code Authority would allow!

 

The stories did get a little repetitive...

...then again, they at least changed hair colors and outfit colors!

 Love might be blind...

...and maybe romance comics readers too!

But, one of the most important parts of “Our Love Story” was the first two issues, with a Stan Lee/John Buscema story “We Dare Not Marry!” and it’s sequel, “I Can’t Forget You!”.


Looking at those two covers by John Romita….

…do they remind you of anyone from the Marvel Universe?

Don’t think too long about it…


....the answer is coming soon…


…real soon, in fact!




The story was reprinted in Marvel Treasury Edition #1 (among many other places…)

If you said Mary Jane Watson, “face it, tiger, you hit the jackpot!”….and that scene was from Mary Jane’s first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #42 (November, 1966) by Stan Lee and John Romita.

Peter and MJ have had their problems over the years, but are still a romance for the ages, and proves that comic characters (like comic collectors) aren’t that different from anyone else…we all just want someone to love!

Tangled Titans

The Teen Titans that you've met before were all sidekicks or individual heroes on their own...


...but, the Teen Titans were soon to introduce members that were all theirs!


That is, members who were introduced in the Teen Titans book, and were reflective of the times....

Mystery Girl

First off, there was a problem.  In Teen Titans #25 (January-February, 1970 by Robert Kanigher and Nick Cardy, the Titans (with newest members Hawk & Dove), failed to save Dr. Arthur Swanson (a noted peace activist), and were left crushed; and after a meeting with the Justice League of America (their mentors), decided to give up their costumed identities, going to work for philanthropist Loren Jupiter (who used Lilith Clay, a go-go dancer at his club) to recruit the teens.

A go-go dancer joins the Teen Titans?  Well, not only was Lilith athletic, she had the power of ESP, which gave her the ability to read minds and see glimpses of the future.  But, at her hard, she was a red-haired orphan girl, looking for her parents (as revealed over solo stories of her past in Teen Titans #36, #38, #41, and #43,  from when she found out her abilities at 13, to joining the Titans).  Lilith served the team well, including one meeting with Batman in Brave and the Bold #94 (February-March, 1971), and Superman in World's Finest Comics #205 (September, 1971), even working alone with Robin (in Batman #241 & #242 in May and June of 1972), and meeting the love of her life, Gnarrk (more on him later),  until the team first broke up after a problem on the Manning case (in Teen Titans #43 of January-February, 1973).

Lilith didn't return to the Titans when they reformed soon after, instead enjoying the peaceful life on the west coast (the Titans were based in New York), but disaster followed her there, and she and her abilities were needed again (and Lilith helped form Titans West, using other teen heroes, like Beast Boy, Golden Eagle, the original Bat-Girl and Hawk & Dove) to defeat the cross-continental thread of Mr. ESPer and Captain Calamity in Teen Titans #50-52 (of October thru December, 1977).  The new team of Titans didn't last (as Gnarrk was none too pleased to see his fiance risk her life with super-heroes).  Lilith next popped up at Donna Troy's (aka Wonder Girl) wedding (in Tales of the Teen Titans #50 of February, 1985), talking of the death of Gnarrk.

Lilith stuck around with the Titans as Donna went on her honeymoon (and Lilith met the winged mystery Azrael as well). It's a good thing Lilith stuck around, as she also helped the Titans against Raven and her demon father, Trigon (in New Teen Titans #1-6 of 1985), and finally found her origin, that of being the daughter of original Olympian Titan goddess, Thia, during the course of New Teen Titans #7-10 of 1985, thus allowing Lilith to sit out the Crisis On Infinite Earths.

But, as the Crisis changed Donna Troy's history (which led her to be a disciple of the original Olympian Titans, and Donna then changed her name from Wonder Girl to Troia), Lilith lost her origin (as we saw her again, still searching for both parents in Secret Origins Annual #3 of 1989).  Lilith even helped to briefly reform the Titans West (in Hawk & Dove Annual #1 of 1990) and helped warn the New Titans of Troia's trouble in the War of the Gods (and in New Titans #81 of December, 1991).

Lilith's next return could have been seen as a bad Omen, and was with a whole new batch of Teen Titans, again led by Loren Jupiter, for Teen Titans #1-24 of October, 1986 to September, 1998.  During this series, Lilith also demonstrated some additional powers like teleportation and more spellcasting, as well as a more mysterious nature (saying she had met her mother, but not who she was, and that she also found out of her father, who was Loren Jupiter).  Lilith then fell into a "Raven wannabe" mode, wherein she was used instead of Raven, missing the uniqueness of Lilith...she was used to recruit villains for Tartarus (a villainous version of the Titans) by Vandal Savage, and helped the Titans a few more times, until her death at the hands of a Superman robot in The Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day 3-issue mini series of 2003.  Lilith even returned twice after that (in Teen Titans #30-31 of January and February, 2006 manipulated by the new Brother Blood, and in the 2009 3 issue mini-series Blackest Night: Titans, as a Black Lantern), leading legions of undead Titans against the current team (and less will be said about the new, villainous Lilith Clay of the New 52).   

Fixit Man

Mal Duncan first appeared and joined the Teen Titans in Teen Titans #26 (March-April, 1970 by Robert Kanigher and Nick Cardy), and Mal was just an angry kid amateur boxer protecting his younger sister, Cindy, from gangs in Hell's Corner in Harlem.  Still, Mal proved his worth, and joined up with Jupiter's Teen Titans, and was very important to the team (though mostly in taking care of the headquarters and similar duties, lacking any super powers or gimmicks).

Mal did meet Superman in World's Finest Comics #205 (September, 1971) and Batman in Brave and the Bold #102 (June-July, 1972), and was even able to prevent Titan foe, Gargoyle, from re-entering our dimension on his own in Mal's only solo story in Teen Titans #35 (September-October, 1971).

Mal was even the most loyal of Titans, staying to take care of the systems of the Titans Lair after the team broke up for a time.

Mal's patience was rewarded, as when the Teen Titans came back, he took on the super-hero identity of the Guardian (after the evil Dr. Light dismissed Mal as "the janitor"), borrowing the costume of the original Guardian and an strength exo-skeleton of a foe of Robin's (from Batman #192, June, 1967). Mal didn't keep that identity, instead picking up a mystical horn that had non-specific magical powers, and becoming Hornblower, for the majority of the Teen Titans return (and where he fronted a new HQ for the team, that of Gabriel's Horn, a restaurant that he owned); at least until the horn disappeared and he was back to being Guardian again (as he needed an edge to not lose, for if he lost any battle, he would lose his soul....).

Mal seems to not lose his soul, was there for the high school graduation of Wally West (Kid Flash) and even married Karen Beecher (his girlfriend, more on her later) as the pair attended Donna Troy's wedding.  Mal even showed up at a funeral for a friend in the 12th issue of Crisis On Infinite Earths.

The Crisis also changed Mal; instead of becoming Guardian or Hornblower, Mal found a computerized musical instrument and became the Herald to defeat Dr. Light.   This was all part of a scheme to aid a pair of old Titans' foes (as revealed in Secret Origins Annual #3 of 1989).  Mal was mostly retired as a hero at this point (though he did show here and there for support, like aiding the Titans West, and participating in a meeting of the members of the Titans and JLA, even fighting Dr. Light again...

...and being part of the space team in Infinite Crisis).

Herald returned from the Infinite Crisis merged with his weapon, which he called the Gabriel Horn, merged into his body.  Mal took on the identity of Vox, and joined the Doom Patrol for a time (mostly Teen Titans #35-37 in 2006 and Secret Six #4 of October, 2006), where their leader, the Chief, was suppose to help find a cure for him...

...though that didn't seem to be working out as, last we heard, Mal was no longer with the team (or his wife).

Cave Boy

Gnarrk was just a simple cave boy, living in pre-historic times, until Mal and Kid Flash came and ruined his life in Teen Titans #32 (March-April, 1971 by Steve Skeates and Nick Cardy).  Gnarrk ended up coming to modern day in Teen Titans #33 (May-June, 1971, by Bob Haney and George Tuska).  In that issue, Gnarrk formed a special bond with Lilith, and began to slowly learn modern civilization and vocabulary.

Gnarrk returned in Teen Titans #39 (May-June, 1972), thinking of joining a lost tribe of Indians, just so he'd better belong.  It didn't work out, but Gnarrk and Lilith got engaged between this issue and Teen Titans #50 (when Lilith returned forming Titans West, appearing in Teen Titans #51 and #52).  Gnarrk even helped the team a little, and posed with the group at the end of the adventure (though never sure if this was enough to consider him a member....then, it was revealed at Donna Troy's wedding Gnarrk was dead.

Dead, and wiped from existence almost, no less. 

Gnarrk appeared in New Titans #56 (July, 1989) after the Crisis On Infinite Earths, in an adventure set after the reunion of Titans (and formation of Titans West).

This was the first time the Titans met Gnarrk (wherein he did form a bond with Lilith, but she watched him die at S.T.A.R. Labs....as Secret Origins Annual #3 of 1989 explained, Lilith was originally attracted to Dove as Titans West formed, making poor Lilith more tragic...and abandoning Gnarrk to a footnote in history...).

Neglected Girl

Bumblebee is the next Titan being covered (and she's a little bit of a jump ahead, but that's because she's Mal's girlfriend and then wife!).  Karen Beecher first appeared as Mal's girlfriend in Teen Titans #45 (December, 1976), upset at how he feels neglected by the other Titans, and with Teen Titans #47 (April, 1977), Karen decided to do something about it.

Karen appears first as Bumblebee in Teen Titans #48 (June, 1977 by Bob Rozakis and Jose Delbo), attacking the Teen Titans (and a cover dominated by Two-Face and the Joker's Daughter)!  She did this to show Mal his worth to the team, and joins in Teen Titans #49 (August, 1977), thanks to her super-suit, which gives her the ability of flight, a sonic attack mode and stingers (which, originally fired out of a strange place, later changed to eye-beams).  Karen was a part of the east team during the introduction of Titans West, and (along with Mal) was there when the origin of the Teen Titans was related in Teen Titans #53 (February, 1978) as the team disbanded for a time.

Bumblebee next popped up at Donna Troy's wedding in Tales of the Teen Titans #50 (February, 1985), married to Mal, and the both of them enjoying not being a part of super-heroics out on the west coast (with Karen now working for S.T.A.R. Labs).  When Mal briefly returned to being Herald, Karen soon followed suit to help the Titans with the problem of the Wildebeest (and the Titans needed a scientist they could trust, as the Wildebeest had infiltrated S.T.A.R. Labs and took over Cyborg, as detailed in New Titans #57-59 in 1989).

Bumblebee (as well as Mal, Golden Eagle and Flamebird, and title stars Hawk and the new female Dove) were also there for a Titans West revival in Hawk & Dove Annual #1 (1990), dealing with villains in hell (deceased villains like the original Icicle, Electrocutioner, the Iron Major, the second Clayface, el Papagayo and the Top).  Karen (along with Mal and many other ex-Titans) were kidnapped by the Wildebeest Society during the Titans Hunt (which lasted from New Titans #71-85), but no effects from that adventure were ever revealed.  Bumblebee was a leader of a group of Team Titans in Team Titans #22 and #24 in 1994 (before Zero Hour wiped out the timelines of most of the Team Titans), and also participated in the gathering of Titans and JLA members recorded in JLA/Titans #1-3 at the end of the 1990s, and was part of the gathering of ex-Titans by Beast Boy and Flamebird in Titans Secret Files #2 (October, 2000).  Bumblebee was also one of the heroines who responded to Wonder Woman's call for assistance to help save New York from Circe in Wonder Woman #174-175 in 2001, and was involved in a case with the Birds of Prey (which included guest-star Vixen) in Birds of Prey #70-73 in 2004.

Bumblebee came together with most of the Titans to face Dr. Light in Teen Titans #22-23 (May and June, 2005), which eventually led to her and Herald being part of Donna Troy's outer space team of heroes to help fight in the Rann-Thanagar War during the Infinite Crisis...which changed Karen into a lady more like a bumblebee, and stuck at six-inch size (which was revealed in 52 #5 of August, 2006).

Dealing with her (and Mal's change into Vox) proved tough for the couple, though they were together in the Doom Patrol for the early part of their treatment, the couple separated soon after Teen Titans #35-37 of 2006 and Secret Six #3-4 of 2006, with Karen staying with the Doom Patrol for most of it's 21st century run 22 issue run, still dealing with being pint-sized.

In spite of all their problems, these Titans did their best to hold it together....and inspire more Titans in the future!

Ronald Reagan Comics

On this date, February 6th, 1911. Ronald Reagan was born.

He worked steadily as an actor, with one of his most famous roles being opposite a chimp in “Bedtime For Bonzo” in 1951 and even moved on, to become governor of California in the late 1960s.

Reagan got that monkey off of his back and instead went to work with the primates in Congress in the wilds of Washington, DC, as our 40th President of the United States for the majority of the 1980s, and, sadly, passed away on June 5th, 2004 at age 93.


But, his legacy will live on forever….in the comics!


I bring you a few of his high points in the four-color world.

Legends

When DC Comics rebooted their universe after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, they wanted a limited series that would showcase their characters and new, one world universe. That series became Legends which came out in 1986 and 1987 (by Len Wein, John Ostrander, John Byrne and Karl Kesel), and featured Earth’s heroes facing off against the forces of Darkseid and the rest of the New Gods of Apokolips, even crossing over into many other titles (including a Cosmic Boy mini-series, Blue Beetle, the Green Lantern Corps with Guy Gardner, Warlord, as well as Superman and Batman’s titles) as Darkseid attempted to turn people against the heroes of the world and created menaces like Brimstone for the heroes to face.

This led to a lot of confusion across the Earth, and the disbanding of the Justice League of America (to be reformed, first just as the Justice League, then Justice League International), and the government program of Task Force X, where Amanda Waller used villains in Belle Reve prison for missions too sensitive and dangerous for regular operatives, so these villains could work for parole as the Suicide Squad.

Along the way, Darkseid even manipulated the government to turn against our heroes…but, when push came to shove, Ronald Reagan backed our heroes. He even showed some heroic qualities of his own…and I’ll let you find the six issue mini-series or tradepaperback to find out the trick used here!

President as Superhero

Not content anymore to sit on the sidelines, Ronald Reagan and his cabinet used Project Alpha Soldier to become super-heroes in their own right…as Reagan’s Raiders.

Three issues by writer Monroe Arnold and artist Rich Buckler from Solson Publications featured our 40th President fighting terrorists, drug lords and defending our troops over the course of three issues also came out in 1986 and 1987, but were part of the independent comic explosion, so they were only printed in black and white. Sadly, the comic ended almost as quickly as they came out back in 1987.


Still, at least the better parts of our fortieth president will be remembered!

3-D Man In Your Face

Looking back is good....and in the 1970s, comics looked back to the 1950s!

Let's look at the "startling NEW super-hero from the FABULOUS 1950's!"...3-D Man!  "Who in blazes?" you might ask...

One Dimension

Premiering in Marvel Premiere #35 (April, 1977 by Roy Thomas and Jim Craig, and a cover by Jack Kirby), was the story of the Chandler brothers, Charles and Hal.  Chuck was a test pilot for NASA in 1958, taking out the experimental XF-13 when he had a real close encounter, with some Skrulls (a nasty shape-shifting alien race who would come to menace the Fantastic Four and the rest of Earth's heroes).  Chuck was able to escape, blowing up the Skrull ship, but it bathed him in an odd energy, and as he approached his brother Hal (as Chuck had landed at their "secret spot" in the desert), the XF-13 blew up, turning Chuck into red and green images on Hal's glasses.

For some reason, Hal later thought to put on those glasses and look at a wall, and thus came into being....the 3-D Man!  Blessed with 3 times the abilities of a normal man, Chuck Chandler materialized in a red and green hybrid of his flight suit (sending his brother into a coma), and could appear to fight crime (and sense Skrulls) for 3 hours at a time (and this was his first adventure out and about).    

Two Dimensions

With the second appearance of 3-D Man in Marvel Premiere #36 (June, 1977, by Roy Thomas and Jim Craig, with a plotting assist by Don Glut, and cover by Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott), the action kicked into high gear, with the second manifestation of 3-D Man (as well as Zirksu, the Skrull that he faces), manipulating new rock and roll sensation, Vince Rivers, into inciting the nation's youth into a violent frenzy!  During the course of this adventure, we learn that merging seems to have cured Hal's polio, that Chuck's dad wasn't dealing well with the supposed death of his test pilot son, with Hal and Chuck's girlfriend, Peggy, getting closer as she drove Hal to a Vince Rivers concern, where the 3-Man foiled the Skrull's plot (but was unable to find the Skrull).

3-D Man also mentioned the Invaders and All-Winners Squad (previous hero teams that existed in the 1940s, which included Captain America, the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch), and 3-D Man met Peggy, and in a letter's page column, Roy Thomas explained his fascination with the 1950s and how that let to him creating this hero of the 1950s in the 1970s!

Three Dimensions

In Marvel Premiere #37 (August, 1977, also by Roy Thomas and Jim Craig, and plot assist by Don Glut, and cover by Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott), Zirksu stepped up his plans against 3-D Man, having followed the hero (who found the device the Skrull used to incite the riots at the concert), and blasted 3-D Man and Hal as the multi-hued hero returned to Hal's body for the third time (though the Skrull was surprised there was not more of an affect of the blast).  Hal returned home with Peggy, and Zirksu (taking the guise of then Vice President Richard Nixon) helped a Commie hating professor named Sinkowitz transform himself into the Cold Warrior (using Skrull science to enhance the professor's own), making a foe for the 3-D Man (who was half-red after all).

When 3-D Man was next manifested by Hal, Hal's mind was in control...and he fought the Cold Warrior and beat him.  This was enough of a setback for the Skrull abandon his Nixon identity and to disappear...as did the 3-D Man for a time!

And Beyond!

But, the 3-D Man did come back, in the Incredible Hulk #251 (September, 1980, by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, with a cover by Michael Golden), with quite some time having passed for Hal and family...

...Hal had married Peggy Clark, and they had two sons, Chuck Chandler and Hal Chandler Jr., and Hal had retired the 3D-Man, concentrating instead on his career and family.

When the family discovered Bruce Banner, Hal invited him into his home (but in reality, Hal recognized Bruce as the alter-ego of the Hulk, and called the military to bring him in).  At the same time, Rick Jones (a friend of the Hulk's) had encountered trouble and sent out a distress call via ham radio to the Teen Brigade and more (with the younger Chuck Chandler hearing the call on his dad's equipment).  The Hulk changed in the house, prompting Hal to call on 3-D Man again (who manifested with Chuck's mind) and the Hulk and 3-D Man battled for a bit, as 3-D Man also tried to process all the changes that had happened since he last appeared!  3-D Man eventually helped Hulk leave to go aid Rick and his friends, and Hal came clean with Peggy about the 3-D Man and how the original Chuck Chandler survived within him (and dealing with their destroyed house in Incredible Hulk #252).  3-D Man also appeared in the gathering of heroes in Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1 in June, 1982, but he was just a face in the crowd at that point...  

Further Out

The 3-D Man stayed out of the limelight yet again, but there was a new hero, Triathlon (Delroy Garrett Jr.), who premiered in Avengers #8 (September, 1998, by Kurt Busiek and George Perez) who seemed awfully familiar...and the link between him and 3-D Man was explored in Avengers #50-56 (also known as Avengers #465-471, as suddenly finding your roots became popular) in 2002, and the Avengers dealt with their time-traveling foe, Kang, and Triathlon returning Hal and Charles Chandler to Peggy (the brothers being minus their powers, but Triathlon still having the abilities of 3 men).

Side Trip

But, what if the Avengers had formed during the 1950s instead of the 1960s?  Would 3-D Man have been a member?

It was exactly that question that led to the alternate world of What If? #9 (June, 1978 written by Don Glut, and art by Alan Kupperberg and Bill Black, taking the concept from Roy Thomas) and the formation of the 1950s Avengers, with 3-D Man joining forces with heroes of Marvel Comics of the 1950s (Venus the goddess, the Human Robot, the Gorilla Man, Marvel Boy and foe of the Yellow Claw...Jimmy Woo).  The team battled a gathering of their foes, but Eisenhower did not want them to stay together as a team.  This reality was developed further in Avengers Forever #4 and #5 (in 1999), wherein a Skrull posing as Nixon tried to take over America's space program in 1959...at least until Immortus (another time traveling Avengers villain) shut down this reality.... 

And Back Home

Thing is, minus 3-D Man (and including Namora, the Sub-Mariner's cousin), this group did form briefly in the regular Marvel Universe in the 1958 (as Department Zero and the G-Men)...as S.H.I.E.L.D. later learned, and Jimmy Woo (who had later joined S.H.I.E.L.D., and was even part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team to face Godzilla), and this group reformed as the Agents of Atlas when Jimmy was injured (in Agents of Atlas #1, October, 2006, the beginning of a 6 issue limited series by Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk, which let to the regular Agents of Atlas series which lasted 11 issues in 2009).

Finally In Focus

With the threat of Skrull Secret Invasion, Delroy joined the Avengers Initiative program, taking over the 3-D Man identity with Avengers: the Initiative #12 (June, 2008), fighting the Skrulls in Avengers: the Initiative #16-19, and eventually working with the Agents of Atlas in Atlas #1-5 (2010).