As DC Comics are celebrating the creators that made an impact in the 70's, 80's and 90's, I thought I'd wander through the same decades and pull out my favourite comic of each year.
And here we are, finally at the end of the 90's.
1997
HITMAN #14 - Zombie Night At The Gotham Aquarium, Part 2, written by Garth Ennis with art by John McCrea.
Last week we finished with a look at 1996 and Hitman #1, the first issue of one of my favourite series ever and here, just a year later, possibly one of the funniest story arcs ever. As this is the second part of the story I was tempted to try and précis it but thought I'd let Natt the Hatt sum it up in answer to the question "What's happening here?!"
After Minett is killed by a zombie shark, the place is flooded leaving Tommy in the water:
After grenades don't work - after all, the darn thing's already dead - Tommy shoots out the exit doors, letting the water and the shark drain away. But that does bring it's own problems:
Cute little zombie seals cubs and penguins! Surely they can't shoot them?
Yeah, of course they can!
Hitman would never reach the dizzying heights of insanity that this story held, I think, though it would remain fun and, towards the end, become touching and sad. Damn fine book.
1998
YOUNG JUSTICE #1 - Young, Just Us, written by Peter David with art by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker.
I've said before, time and time again, how much I enjoy comics that are just good fun - yes there's a place for the big universe changing epics like Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis and I know that not everyone wants to read the same thing. For me, though, one of the pleasures of this crazy world is a comic book that's fun and makes me smile.
Case in point - Young Justice from 1998 which took Superboy, Impulse and Robin and let them form their own team. Written by Peter David, you could tell that this wasn't going to be a teenage angst ridden book right from page one as David takes a swipe at his own Aquaman series:
Hiding out (well, they've been allowed to use it really) in the old Justice League secret sanctuary in Happy Harbour, Impulse performs a spot of redecorating with a spray can which includes covering the previously inert Red Tornado:
While the responsible adult in me can't condone Impulse's vandalism, I have to agree with his summation of Hanson! At the very least, though, Impulse can be thanked for restoring the Red Tornado to active duty.
He'd go on to be the team's mentor for some time and David gives Tornado a real personality for the first time in what seems like forever.
Yet another great series that really deserves to be trade paperbacked.
1999
JSA #1 - Justice Be Done, written by James Robinson and David Goyer with art by Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair.
And here we are, at the end of this romp through the 70's, 80's and 90's finishing up with yet another fresh start - this time the Justice Society of America back in their own title.
Nothing starts a new series off like a funeral, eh?
Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman, has died and the Justice Society, along with their ex-members and relatives get together to wish him a goodbye. After a quick who's who, the funeral's interrupted by Fate stumbling in and promptly dying:
Here endeth the bold experiment that was Fate.
Thankfully not all legacy characters were to end up the same way. As the Society are attacked by the Sons of Anubis, Stargirl's herded out of the way to let the bigger heroes deal with things.
Stargirl would late go on to earn her place in the reformed Justice Society and be a member right up until the present day.
JSA worked a treat, combining the old and the new with affection but not too much reverance, allowing the team to change over time.
Well, that's it - the whole Retroactive thing done with from me. Hope you enjoyed it!
HITMAN #14 - Zombie Night At The Gotham Aquarium, Part 2, written by Garth Ennis with art by John McCrea.
Last week we finished with a look at 1996 and Hitman #1, the first issue of one of my favourite series ever and here, just a year later, possibly one of the funniest story arcs ever. As this is the second part of the story I was tempted to try and précis it but thought I'd let Natt the Hatt sum it up in answer to the question "What's happening here?!"
"This dude Minett is insane, that's what. Fool cooked all the animals an' brought 'em back to life with zombie gas."And with that, we're all up to speed, yeah? Our heroes are trapped in an aquarium stuffed full of zombie animals and try to escape the only way they know how to:
After Minett is killed by a zombie shark, the place is flooded leaving Tommy in the water:
After grenades don't work - after all, the darn thing's already dead - Tommy shoots out the exit doors, letting the water and the shark drain away. But that does bring it's own problems:
Cute little zombie seals cubs and penguins! Surely they can't shoot them?
Yeah, of course they can!
Hitman would never reach the dizzying heights of insanity that this story held, I think, though it would remain fun and, towards the end, become touching and sad. Damn fine book.
YOUNG JUSTICE #1 - Young, Just Us, written by Peter David with art by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker.
I've said before, time and time again, how much I enjoy comics that are just good fun - yes there's a place for the big universe changing epics like Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis and I know that not everyone wants to read the same thing. For me, though, one of the pleasures of this crazy world is a comic book that's fun and makes me smile.
Case in point - Young Justice from 1998 which took Superboy, Impulse and Robin and let them form their own team. Written by Peter David, you could tell that this wasn't going to be a teenage angst ridden book right from page one as David takes a swipe at his own Aquaman series:
Hiding out (well, they've been allowed to use it really) in the old Justice League secret sanctuary in Happy Harbour, Impulse performs a spot of redecorating with a spray can which includes covering the previously inert Red Tornado:
While the responsible adult in me can't condone Impulse's vandalism, I have to agree with his summation of Hanson! At the very least, though, Impulse can be thanked for restoring the Red Tornado to active duty.
He'd go on to be the team's mentor for some time and David gives Tornado a real personality for the first time in what seems like forever.
Yet another great series that really deserves to be trade paperbacked.
JSA #1 - Justice Be Done, written by James Robinson and David Goyer with art by Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair.
And here we are, at the end of this romp through the 70's, 80's and 90's finishing up with yet another fresh start - this time the Justice Society of America back in their own title.
Nothing starts a new series off like a funeral, eh?
Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman, has died and the Justice Society, along with their ex-members and relatives get together to wish him a goodbye. After a quick who's who, the funeral's interrupted by Fate stumbling in and promptly dying:
Here endeth the bold experiment that was Fate.
Thankfully not all legacy characters were to end up the same way. As the Society are attacked by the Sons of Anubis, Stargirl's herded out of the way to let the bigger heroes deal with things.
Stargirl would late go on to earn her place in the reformed Justice Society and be a member right up until the present day.
JSA worked a treat, combining the old and the new with affection but not too much reverance, allowing the team to change over time.
Well, that's it - the whole Retroactive thing done with from me. Hope you enjoyed it!
I was out of comics from about 1996 to 2003 so I am enjoying this trip to the past....thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed, it Mock - it was kinda fun to go through three decades worth of DC comics and pick out my favourite issues.
ReplyDeleteHope you're enjoying the Justice League Detroit retrospectives as well.