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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Tuesday, February 26, 2008
I'm always reading one of Marvel's Essentials or DC's Showcase books, but jump around a lot in doing so. The latest tome to catch my interest was 2007's Showcase Presents World's Finest Volume One [DC; $16.99], reprinting the Superman and Batman team-ups from Superman #76 and World's Finest #71-111. That first tale ran in 1952, the others from 1954 through 1960.
Edmond Hamilton's "The Mightiest Team in the World" is typical of the early team-ups in that the heroes, discovering each other's civilian identities in the tale, don't face much of a threat. The foe is just a clever jewel thief. They expend more energy keeping Lois Lane from discovering said civilian identities. Their efforts in that regard aren't misplaced; the Lois of these early team-ups is an uber-bitch who would certainly have exposed them on the front page of The Daily Planet. Increasing the "ick" factor, Lois hits on the barely teenage Robin at the end of the story.
Two years later, when the dwindling page count of World's Finest forces Superman and Batman to combine their features in the title, "Lois as evil bitch" is a recurrent theme for the first year of the team. Other recurrent themes include the heroes posing as each other to protect their identities, battling each other, and gaining/losing super-powers. But the Lois-hate is so overwhelming, it made me wonder what the heck was going on in the personal lives of the editors and writers working on these stories.
My dear friend Alvin Schwartz wrote the first two Superman and Batman team-ups for World's Finest. The less said about the first, the better, but issue #72's "Fort Crime" features some very clever tactics by the heroes. Curt Swan pencilled the first eight Superman/Batman team-ups, mostly inked by Stan Kaye, but also did a number of covers, a few splash pages, and one story later in the book. It's solid art, sure in its storytelling, but it's nowhere near Swan's best work.
Edmond Hamilton was the main writer of the feature until late 1958, though tales by Bill Finger and Dave Wood also appear during the run. Hamilton is hit-or-miss. Some stories are mediocre and others quite good. The better ones include the clever "The Three Magicians of Bagdad" (in which Professor Nicholas uses hypnosis to send Supes, Bats, and Robin into the past), "The Super-Newspaper of Gotham City," and "The Three Super-Sleepers." Six years into these team-ups, Hamilton wrote a retcon of how Superman and Batman first met and became friends and frequent allies. Dick Sprang became the regular Superman/Batman artist in issue #78 and only missed one issue through #111. Sprang's art has far more energy than Swan's; some issues are downright spectacular.
Some notes on the Hamilton stories and those written by others during that run:
Bill Finger's "The Contest of Heroes" (issue #74) is a pretty cute story about an alien child with great powers. The mysterious alien child is another recurrent theme of not only these Superman and Batman team-ups but of comics in general during the post-Code era. Comics were being religiously targeted to younger readers, so building stories around weird kids made sense. After all, what kid doesn't feel weird at some point during adolescence?
Issue #75's "Superman and Robin," also by Finger, is notable for highlighting the friendship and respect the heroes, including Robin, have for one another. With rare exception, I find Finger's stories superior to those of the other writers.
Professor Nicholas ditches his hypnosis for a time-ray in "The Three Super-Musketeers" (issue #82). That was a good move. Even as a kid, my willing suspension of disbelief wasn't strong enough to accept time-travel by hypnosis.
Finger's "The Case of the Mother Goose Mystery" (issue #84) is fun. It introduced a concept I wish had been explored further: Adventure Inc., an entertainment company which plans and produces elaborate "real-life" adventures for its clients.
Finger makes terrific use of Superman in "The Reversed Heroes" (issue #87) in which the Man of Steel loses his powers, a criminal gets super-powers, and Batman and Robin also gain them to bring the criminal to justice. Editor Jack Schiff must have liked this tale; published six months later, Hamilton's "The Super-Batwoman" (issue #90) is a direct sequel.
"Superman and Batman's Greatest Foes" - Luthor and the Joker - make their first joint World's Finest appearance a story by Hamilton (issue #88). Then and now, it's an awkward combination. However, the more versatile Luthor makes several solo appearances in this volume and proves to be much scarier when he's not playing straight man to the Joker.
Hamilton's "The Club of Heroes" (issue #89) has Superman sort of horning in on a society of international Batman wannabes. It's a sequel to "The Batman Of All Nations," which Hamilton wrote two years earlier for Detective Comics #215. Neither story is first-rate, but I recall them with great fondness. Oddball super-hero teams must be encoded in my DNA.
No one has made a definitive case as to who wrote "The Boss of Batman and Superman" in issue #93. A machine transfers the super-intellect of Superman to Robin and a criminal, leaving the Man of Steel slow-witted and unable to function without Robin's guidance. The plight of the diminished Supes is as emotionally charged a tale as you were likely to find in a 1958 comic book, which is why I'd suggest Finger over Hamilton as the writer. Finger's stories are more notable for their humanity, though Hamilton could tug at one's heartstrings as well. Whoever wrote the story, it's one of best in this collection.
Following "The Battle of the Super-Heroes" - a downright awful story by Dick Wood in issue #95 - and Hamilton's entertaining "The Super-Foes From Planet X" in issue #96, Finger becomes the regular writer of the Superman/Batman team. His run starts with a jarring note. In issue #97's "The Day Superman Betrayed Batman," the Man of Steel shapes a railroad rail into a boomerang and takes out two crooks with it. Not one of those mugs come away from that impact with less than broken ribs, if they survive at all.
Finger settles down with the next issue and produces a solid string of good-to-great stories. "The Menace of the Moon Man" is a Jekyll-Hyde takeoff. "Batman's Super-Spending Spree" is an odd tale with a human tone. Luthor returns as "The Dictator of Krypton City" in an adventure with lots of clever visual action. Finger's scripts were bringing out the best in artist Sprang.
World's Finest #101 is a special favorite of mine, the first issue of the title I ever read. Sprang did pencils and inks for "The Menace of the Atom-Master," a fine story which includes a scene of Batman examining dirt to determine where the villains are hiding. That scene was a direct inspiration for my weird boyhood "hobby" of collecting and labeling dirt samples from all around my neighborhood. If I'd ever been called on to help the Batman solve a case that close to my house, I'd have been ready.
I missed "The Caveman From Krypton" (issue #102) when it first appeared, but, reading it again for the first time in years, I note Finger's nice use of the human criminals who try to take advantage of the fear the caveman inspires and an especially clever escape by the Batman.
 
"Secret of the Sorcerer's Treasure" and "The Plot To Destroy Superman" - the second and third issues of World's Finest I bought - are two of my favorite Superman/Batman adventures. Finger and Sprang are at the top of their games. The sense of menace is high. In the second, Batwoman is absolutely gorgeous and Luthor is downright terrifying.
Finger's remaining stories in this first volume - "The Alien Superman," "The Duplicate Man," "The Secret of the Time-Creature" with its Godzilla-like monster, and "Superman's Secret Kingdom" - are entertaining adventures with their share of interesting twists and exciting visuals. I've come to expect no less from one of the best writers ever to work in comics.
But the real surprise of this volume is writer Jerry Coleman, who wrote issues #108-110. "The Star Creatures" boasts imaginative action sequences and monsters. Drawn by Curt Swan, "The Bewitched Batman" is kind of goofy, but fun nonetheless.
As for Coleman's "The Alien Who Doomed Robin," it's simply one of the best Superman/Batman tales of all time with the heartrending emotional core of the two heroes helplessly watching as Robin grows weaker with each moment. Modern readers will no doubt snicker at a scene wherein a devastated Batman asks himself "Will...will this be the end of our wonderful life together? Will I never see Robin alive again?", but, when a not-quite-nine-year-old Tony read that in 1960, it was like a punch to the gut. And, believe me, as the shortest kid in every class from grades one through eight, I know from punches to the gut.
Showcase Presents World's Finest Volume One is filled with memorable stories. Even its lesser tales are still great fun in their own way. Offering readers nearly 550 pages of comics for its amazingly low price, this collection earns the full five out of five Tonys. It's a book to be treasured.
******
TONY POLLS
The voting for the President of the United States in the wacky Tony Polls universe ended this morning. However, since I'm writing this column days ago, I don't know if our comics commander-in-chief is Barbara Gordon, Pogo, Joe "Robbie" Robertson, or Clark Savage, Jr. Watch for the results and my comments on those results later this week.
This week's questions were posted early because I was bored. Here's what we're asking you...
It's comics awards season. How likely are you to buy/read a comic because it was nominated for a comics award?
And...
Yours truly is either exploring his options or unemployed, depending on how he's spinning it at the moment. Which of these potential comics, non-fiction, and prose fiction projects of mine would you be most interested in reading?
You can vote on these questions here:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
Besides talking about the completed polls, I'm working on many things for this week's TOTs. I'll have some thoughts on the future of this website plus the usual news, views, and reviews. For now, thanks for spending a part of your day with me.
I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
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