Good lord, I was going to brush up on Anarky's history at his wikipedia page, and it's friggin' huge. Out of his early appearances, I know I read his debut in Detective Comics, his early run-ins with Tim Drake, and his self-titled limited series. I don't think I read today's book when it came out, though: his short-lived regular series, Anarky #1, "Aberration, part one: Power Play" Written by Alan Grant, pencils by Norm Breyfogle, Anarky's co-creators. (Inks by Joe Rubinstein.)
After the Bat-Quake event, Batman gives Anarky the "Stay out of Gotham" speech. Like Gotham is Bats' personal hunting ground, and other vigilantes need a license from him...Lonnie Machin, the sixteen-year-old known as Anarky, has lost his parents in the quake; and sets up a new base beneath the Washington Monument. (By this point, Lonnie has not only increased his own intelligence; he has a variety of stolen technology, including a Boom Tube.)
While his major "war is against all parasites--from the major politicians who bleed whole countries dry, to street-scum..." Lonnie has discovered, via math proof, an Aberration that could negate the universe's laws of space and time. As Anarky, he gives his information to the JLA, who are skeptical. As abnormal events begin, Lonnie wants to get a big gun like Green Lantern on the case, and follows a battle between Kyle and Fatality. After a ship crashes, Anarky is able to score a power ring, with which he plans to stop the Aberration...which has just manifested physically. (Anarky does take a moment with the ring to toss a statue of Senator "Gerry Mander" into space. The motto on the statue reads "Our divisions should not lead us to anarchy.")
I've enjoyed a lot of Anarky's stories, but he has to be a tough character to write. Moreso even than Batman, his goal is to save the world and improve humanity's lot, but Anarky is more about social action than punching criminals in the face. Well, Anarky does that do. But he's a bit like Dr. Doom; that is, the Doom from the 2099 books under Warren Ellis. Or the Authority, know that I think about it: none of them wanted to leave the world the way they found it, and they had the intelligence, drive, and resources to fix it...and then what? Not only would that suck the drama out of the book, it would make the various other characters in their respective shared universes look like they dropped the ball. Failure is the only option.
(Actually, I could see that as a Batman story: from the crack of dawn, Bruce Wayne uses his vast resources and wealth to fight the roots of crime: improved housing and job opportunities. More funding for drug and family and psychological counseling. More research and development for alternative energy. Even more equipment and staffing for Gotham's police and Batman, Inc. After an eighteen-hour day, Bruce looks out over his city...and there's still crime. Five minutes later, Batman is flat-out knuckle-busting criminals.)
Nice topic subject Goo. Has Anarchy ever found out who his real parents are? I know at one time, DC tried to claim the Joker was his father, but that didn't pan out luckily for Anarchy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I don;t think he'll have a figure made of him anytime soon, but then again, DCUC did make a Jemm, Son of Saturn figure, and it almost doesn't get any obscure than that.
Finally...you're dead on w/the Batman comment; I think this is the same thing that Grant Morrison is/was trying to set up w/ the whole Batman Inc. Obviously DC doesn't have the balls to break w/ tradition and let this be a semi-permanent thing since he's going back to being the only batman. Still, what you mentioned could work. After all, can't he just take a page out of the Wildc.at.s. 3.0 book,and buy out certain criminal/criminal organizations? It's not like he doesn't have the cash to throw around.
I'm pretty sure I have the last issue of Anarky in my desk, waiting for the end of the year; but long story short: the 'reveal' of the Joker as Anarky's father was intended to be a fakeout. But the series was cancelled before they could go back on it!
ReplyDeleteBats would probably have to walk a line with throwing cash at his villains: pay them for using their skills contructively (I'm sure Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy could be put to work, if the price was right) as opposed to paying them not to be dicks. He couldn't buy off the Joker, the Riddler, or Two-Face, just for a few; so there would always be someone for him to punch.
Anarky would make a great action figure - they could do a variant of him with a long neck to look adult height, like he did in his first appearance.
ReplyDeleteBut knowing Mattel, they'd probably give him the bulky adult male build and he's just look awkward.
He'd actually be easy to do--that Sinestro Corps Scarecrow from the Anti-Monitor wave is a prime candidate for a retool.
ReplyDelete(Which, of course, customizers would then turn into this look, because apparently the other unspoken rule these days is LANTERN ALL THE THINGS)
The problem isn't that he's obscure, given that he wore one of the more unique costumes out there. It's a question of politics. If we ever get a figure, it's going to be DC Direct or Mattycollector.com as opposed to mass market and we'll probably see a different name on the package.
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