I was happy to find a Question story I hadn't read in the quarter bin; even if it comes with an Eradicator and a Primal Force/Claw story. From 1995, Showcase '95 #3, featuring "Homecoming" Written by Dennis O'Neil, art by Rick Burchett; "Reunions" Written by Steven T. Seagle, pencils by Shannon Londin-Gallant, inks by Tom Simmons; and "No Mercy!" Written by Karl Kesel, pencils by Greg LaRocque, insk by Stan Woch.
The Eradicator story is set during his post-Return of Superman status, where what remained of the Kryptonian artifact was now inhabited by S.T.A.R. scientist Dr. David Connor: he had been trying to finish studying it before he died of cancer, but ended up projecting his consciousness into it. Unfortunately, shades of Robocop here, this now estranged him from his wife and kids; the latter of which were threatened today by terrorists trying to extort super-powers out of S.T.A.R. Labs. Even with David in the mix, he still acts like the Eradicator, merciless and harsh; but is shamed by his own kids as "all you do is hurt people." Eradicator would be part of the Outsiders for a brief stretch, where this may or may not have been followed up on.
I know I've read an issue or two of Primal Force, but was not as familiar with their version of Claw as the earlier, fantasy character. One of his teammates asked why he was avoiding the cops in Hong Kong, triggering a flashback, but he's not going to own up to anything right yet.
The Question story is, as expected, the best of the lot; with the surprise of Rick Burchett on art. I knew him mainly from Batman Adventures, so this was like Question: the Animated Series. Vic Sage returns to Hub City, to visit the orphanage where he had been a foundling. As he remembers catching whacks from a nun's ruler after a tattletale rats him out for tracking in mud; said tattletale has returned for his own reckoning: he hated that the nun had scared him as a kid, making him a "pukey teacher's pet." As the Question, Vic beats him down and saves the nun; but it's hardly as satisfying for him as he would've hoped.
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I used to have this one. I'm thinking DC could and should bring the Showcase concept back, and allow it exist as a way to introduce new characters and revitalize older/forgotten ones. It worked back then and it could work now, but I doubt under DC's new owners it'll ever happen.
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