Because the prompt specified solo characters!
2 Likes
Hilarious! Thanks Q!
1 Like
I just watched John Wick for the first time last night, and it’s very familiar underground society of mercenaries reminded me of one of my favorite concepts from DC - the satellite hub for for-hire supervillains, as seen in Identity Crisis #2! Merlyn says it used to be the Injustice Gang’s satellite HQ, but how did it become abandoned? And does it make any more appearances after Identity Crisis?
2 Likes
Ahh Thanks.
1 Like
Well, that’s not quite true – there IS a Doom Patrol in the world of Titans, as seen in Season 1. However, despite being played by many of the same cast as the Doom Patrol series, the one depicted on Doom Patrol is from another Earth. So, while counterparts of Robotman, Elasti-Woman, Negative Man, and The Chief exist in Titans, it’s not the same version of the characters we see on DP.
5 Likes
Besides Earth what habitable planets are in Sector 2814? I presume it includes Abin Sur’s home planet.
4 Likes
Oh we fully agree on that point, Q. Glad to finally have someone with a credible voice acknowledge the acceptance of another DP reality. What always bothered me, were the chorus of fans out there, locked into writing them off, simply because the two separate production companies made any crossover events highly unlikely. And that’s still true. The use of any contractually bound characters in another series requires surmounting enormous legal hurtles, I’ll grant you. Just as I’m sure there are always creative ways to overcome that.
It was the always sounding as if Gar was somehow a gift from Santa, or a stork delivery, with no connection to his original team, that always shook my tree. Even after Crisis continued to show the existence of multiple versions of different characters. So, thanks for that! I suspect however that having again opened this Pandora’s box of the forbidden, those with opposing view points may again wish to reinforce their side of the “discussion?”
3 Likes
Well hello once more HCQ. 
Hope that you are well heading into another weekend. 
After diving into our fine universe once more, an Aquaman inquiry did surface after all. 
As the days do get colder now I took a look back at how many ice villains you outlined nicely back in September. 
There was one in particular that related to Aquaman, in that being King Atlan. So…
Is King Atlan the only ice villain Aquaman has ever faced? I’m also guessing if we wanted to turn up the heat to beat the cold that not many would have faced Aquaman… Maybe even someone connected to The Green might have given Aquaman a better challenge in combat as well… 
Well hope this inquiry provides more thrills than chills! 
Maybe the next inquiry will also not have so many… Puns… To be continued! 
2 Likes
Before the SHAZAM! watch-a-long begins, let me get in a few observations on the hero formerly known as Captain Marvel. One constant in all the comic book incarnations of the Marvel Family, has been their power source. A combination of very specific gods and heroes. A religious cross-pollination, which has (not to my knowledge) ever been commented on before. During the formative days of Captain Marvel’s origin, his creators did what many did, and still do. When speaking of, or writing about the Greek and Roman gods, the two are often mixed together.
The Greeks can be credited with coming up with their own deities and heroes, more or less. The Romans on the other hand, felt free to merge theirs with the Greeks. While adding some originals, to flesh out their roster. Zeus became Jupiter, Hermes became Mercury, Ares became Mars, Hera became Juno, Poseidon became Neptune, Heracles becomes Hercules and so on. Comic book writers (among others) for decades, have likewise merged the two pantheons quite freely, ever since. And honestly, aren’t we all guilty of some Sloth of thought, in that area?
When Billy speaks the name of the wizard, he’s calling on gods and heroes both Greek and Roman. Something I’m sure made no difference to Bill Parker, who would edit the new comic line at Fawcett, being proposed at the time. Nor, anything his young readers could possibly care about, back then. Skip ahead, some 50 years later, to DC. A much more savvy readership pays attention to those kinda’ things.
Rereading the WW: War of the Gods tpb, these beings who exist in other (and separate) dimensions, apparently don’t seem to know that their chosen champion, is a hybrid hero in more ways than one. All very confusing now, especially when Lord Jupiter (not Zeus) pits Captain Marvel against Wonder Woman. One would expect the good Captain to have had divided loyalties at the very least, before being thrust into that “family” squabble. To bad Circe never gave him the chance to call upon the wisdom of Solomon to sort it out.
Well, I guess even George Prez was confused back then. But he’s always been in good company, as some of the best writers out there, have done the same. So, what do you think Q? Am I on to something here, or just lost in the weeds?
3 Likes
Have Batman, Batwoman, Batwing and Batgirl ever worked on a case together? Is there a panel with all four of them in it?
2 Likes
Help me again here please, Q. How does this conversation thing work exactly? When traveling faster than the speed of sound, and your words are left far behind you the nano-second they leave your mouth, how is it that conversation takes place again?
Trying desperately to hang on to your every word. Pun, seriously intended!
PS - Does the Speed Force also provide some kind of invulnerability, for when these runners occasionally trip up, and slam into something? Or is this just the Wiley Coyote bounce-back effect in action?
1 Like
The speed of sound is not a constant, but a variable. It depends on many factors, such as the temperature and quality of the air. And because sound can be manipulated to travel faster or slower, The Flash can manipulate it as well. As discussed in my address of how The Flash showers, part of his power set is increasing the relative speed of his immediate vicinity. This includes sound, and allows speedsters to talk to each other in super speed.
Regarding your post-script: a skilled speedster is able to phase through an unavoidable obstacle rather than crash into it. Neophyte speedsters training to get to that skill level is often a story point.
2 Likes
In honor of Dec 7th, “a day that will live in infamy,” I thought I’d recall some of DC’s war heroes. Gone but not forgot!
Subject, the Losers. Not that Vertigo version of the A-Team, but the original military misfits of World War 2. Created by Bob Kanigher, and first seen in Our Fighting Forces, 1970. I liked them. Even if the thought of a pilot and a PT boat skipper, along with a couple of misplaced “jarheads” as a fighting unit, was something you’d only see in comics. Thought I knew what happened to them. Now, I’m not so sure.
They were killed off in COIE, only to die again in a post-Crisis Losers Special written by Kanigher. Some years later, they surface anew, in a Creature Commandos story on Dinosaur Island. And true to their name, they lose their lives yet again. Of course by this time, the ole team (now with a robot “pooch”), is almost unrecognizable, and just so much fodder for the monsters there. Similar liberties have been taken with the crew of the Haunted Tank over the years. Turning up in the Demon, of all places. Different takes, by different writers, leaves one understandably confused.
Finally, Len Wein (may he rest in peace), reinserts them back into the DCU, in Legacies. And in a very moving and much more respectful way (to my way of thinking). Several of our senior veterans it seems, survived the war. I have 3 questions for you, sir. In the new Rebirth era, which (if any) of these past entries on our cross-servicemen is viable today? And how many of DCs valiant and decorated G.I.s have been laid to rest since the publication of Legacies? Finally, who were Gunner & Sarge? I don’t ever remember them being called anything else. Or, like the “combat happy joes” of Easy Company, is that all just part of their military mystique?
Well, 'til Snoopy meets Von Hammer in the skies over Germany …
Stay safe, be well.
4 Likes
Was just watching Justice League Unlimited, the one where Superman and Captain Marvel fight and Lex Luthor is running for President. At the beginning, Captain Marvel defeats Parasite with no trouble. We do not see details of fight. I wonder, if Parasite absorbs Captain Marvel’s power and Captain Marvel says Shazam while holding Parasite, the Lightning strikes them both, would they both change to children or even better would the Lightning change Parasite back to normal, curing him because he absorbed the affect Lightning has on Captain Marvel?
4 Likes
It took a bit longer than expected, but last week’s column is here!
Thank you to @wrightline1.42741, @dominickzadera.38404, and @JeepersItsTheJamags for their questions.
6 Likes
And here comes another one!
Thank you to @wrightline1.42741, @Numbuh1Nerd, and @Clonegeek18 for this week’s questions.
4 Likes
Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle! A double article whammy! I’m gonna treat this as an early Christmas present. If that’s all right with you sir? Your Force of July update was much appreciated . As was the fluid timeline for Wonder Woman’s place in the DCU. likewise, the historical round-up of all those LL doggies runnin’ loose in the DC back pastures. I can only imagine that DC musta been “hopped up” on a Lotta’ Lemonade back then. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyway, feeding off of all that LL cornucopia of comics commentary, gave me a chance to bring up a Superman related film from 2006. Having just had a chance to see it recently.
Amazing how certain talent seems to circulate in the same comic book orbits. In this case, I refer to actors. The talent, Ben Affleck and Diane Lane. Better known to comic book movie fans as the Dark Knight and Martha Kent. But how many of you out there know of their other connection to the Man of Steel? Allow me to elucidate. The movie I saw (which I passed on at the theater for some reason) was titled Hollywoodland.
The film deals with the “suicide” of actor George Reeves. The actor best known to us as tv’s first Superman. He is portrayed by Affleck. The part of his married lover Toni Mannix, is played by Lane. And, as you mentioned in your LL piece, Leonore Lemmon, his fiancee, is given screen time by actress Robin Tunny. They pull off their characters very well. Particularly Affleck, who could easily have been a stand-in for Reeves, had he been around then. His death, is the background story that is investigated by a fictional P.I. played by Adrien Brodie. The film does a pretty good job addressing all the known questions about Reeves passing. I recommend it, for anyone curious about that last, sad chapter in the life of a man who figuratively, flew to close to the sun. But who’s life and career suffered because of it. And, all the lives of many kids (myself included) who had to suffer through that unfortunate loss of “their hero.” And the parents who had to separate fact from fantasy, to them.
Anyway, here’s my totally unrelated question. How many different origins of the Justice League have there been? I was looking at the JLA: Year One reboot of the team, after COIE. Batman and Superman sidelined, basically as “reserve members” was no different then their portrayals in the Leagues original adventures in the early 60’s. But seeing Black Canary as a founding member, still bothers me, among other things. So, seriously Q, how many? And what Earth has JLA Year One been delegated to, in the new DCU?
Stay safe, be well.
2 Likes
Hi Mr City! I was wondering which DC characters are muslim. I know about Simon Baz and his family, are there any others?
4 Likes
Well hello there once more HCQ.
A very happy Hanukkah to you. 
Also, wow a double dose of articles for this week! 
Well not to add to much to your plate for this latest inquiry, I’d also thought I’d try something different this week.
There are actually 3 I’ve thought about recently, but thought perhaps would let you decide which one would you like first that I’ll toss at you next week with those other 2 at a later time. 
And those 3 would be…
- Crisis on Infinite Earths related
- Time line related
- Red Hood related
1 Like