I'm not positive I've ever mentioned it here before, but as a kid; for all of first grade, since I was a bag-luncher, I sat between two kids who regularly--and repeatedly--argued about which was better, the Atari 2600 or the Intellivision. "2600's got more games." "Intellivision's got better graphics." An entire year of that. My first system was a Colecovision, by the way; which is barely remembered today but was the absolute best; those guys can suck eggs.  Anyway, maybe that's why I hadn't read this before? From 1984, Atari Force #2, "Direct Encounter" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by José Luis García-López, inks by Ricardo Villagrán.  

This was early in the series, although I believe the mini-comics included in some Atari games were in vaguely the same continuity; and as such was still putting together some characters, since said games didn't yet have a lot of space for narrative and characterization. While the mercenaries Dart and Blackjak lead a heroic--and successful--charge against an enemy gun emplacement; the Darth Vader-esque big bad of the series, the Dark Destroyer, sends the monstrous Warbeast to capture Dart, for reasons he doesn't let his lackey Kargg or the readers onto yet. On New Earth, young Chris "Tempest" Champion teleports to save his girl from a poisonous "scorp," but she then breaks up with him because her dad, a senator, doesn't approve of him or his "lunatic" dad. Alien psychiatrist Morphea visits said dad, Martin Champion, on the A.T.A.R.I. Space Station, where he lived like a hermit, trying to find the force out there in the Multiverse that he felt was responsible for "corrupting this galaxy with hatred and violence." Morphea is certain he's projecting his sorrow over the loss of his wife; but it could be a less general "eee-vil" out there than he's making it sound like.

We also meet other future team members Babe and Pakrat; but the main draw is José Luis García-López drawing the living crap out of everything. Man, what a good looking comic. Before this, the only Atari Force I had read was in the digests, like "Hukka vs. the BOB," a Keith Giffen laugher from the last issue of the series, reprinted in Best of DC #71. Which I mention because I'd just read Giffen's probably-less-than-fond farewell to the series (or at least, the comic relief Hukka) in the 1986 Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1! (Script by Robert Loren Fleming, pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Bob Oksner.)

Atari Force has, for rights issues, never been collected; although I have read of fans having their own issues bound. I wonder how many of those have the Ambush Bug pages included, though...Along with this, I got issues #4 and #5 from a dollar bin; I'd better see if I have that last issue. Read more!

So, a few years back, we took a look at an issue of the New Universe title Justice, and I spent most of the post bitching about time zones. I also advised against buying those from the quarter bins, as "They'll just hurt you in the end." Yeah, you see where this is going, but I swear I've got a good reason! Or a reason. Maybe marginally good? From 1987, Justice #10, "Hour of Corruption" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Keith Giffen, inks by Vince Colletta.

At this point, the book seemed to be building up for a final battle in the other-dimensional Winterland, like King's the Dark Tower by way of Kirby's New Gods. Am I overselling it? Definitely, the book would absolutely whiff any potential it had. The bad guys, including corporate evil Damon Conquest, were preparing for their massive assault on "the justice-warriors of Spring," who were disorganized and demoralized, possibly because of their name. Damon reports to a bigger bad here, his dad; and had abducted and corrupted the hero's love interest, FBI agent Rebecca Chambers. Damon also makes a phone call to one of his agents on earth, casually talking through his hand, his cold breath seeming to come out the other end...a much stronger visual than this book deserved! Back on earth, Tensen, a.k.a. Justice, was still murdering drug-dealers here and there, but was largely depressed; since Rebecca was believed dead and he was being blamed for it.

Damon transports Justice to the desert, to face Klane, Black Justice; who has a real Fist of the North Star vibe to him, as does their fight. (Fist wasn't released stateside yet, although it had been running in Japan since 1983. Could Giffen have seen it and be riffing on that...?) It's a trap, though, intended for Justice to strike him down in anger, a violation of his code. Beaten in the desert, Justice is unable to do anything when Rebecca appears, at first intending to kill him, but deciding he wasn't worth it. Harvesting dark power from Justice's corruption, Damon lists off his evil plans to his dad, as the invasion draws nearer...

Yes, yes, yes, that's all well and good; but I was actually looking for Giffen's issues of Justice, because of a joke in a better book! From 1990, Secret Origins #48, featuring "The Secret Origin of Ambush Bug: We Thought Him Up!" Plot and pencils by "Keith Van Giffen," script by "Robert Louis Loren Stevenson Fleming," inks by "Bob the Louvre Lewis." Cover by Kevin Maguire and Al Gordon! This is a banger of an issue from late in that series, featuring a bit we saw in Blue Devil Annual #1: here's a whole bunch of 'secret' origins, not a one of them even remotely close to right. "This calls for a Giffen 'big-eye' panel!" is still a fun bit of him poking fun at himself; but Giffen had done layouts for Wally Wood: if we consider Wood's 22 Panels That Always Work!! is the big-eye panel a variation on 'extreme closeup,' or its own thing?  

For good measure, this issue also includes Phil Foglio on Stanley & His Monster, a few years before that mini-series, an extended Captain America riff for the origin of Rex the Wonder Dog, and the largely-forgotten western heroes the Trigger Twins. I had to double-check, since I was thinking it would be just like me to say something like 'largely-forgotten' and then find out the Trigger Twins had a book for like 14 years and a massive following in Paraguay or something: I mean, Rex the Wonder Dog used to be huge. The Trigger Twins, not so much. They were in a bunch of All-Star Western, and the name's been repurposed since.

Anyway, all of this, and there's only one proper "big-eye panel" in Justice #10. Feel like there were more in the previous issue...or maybe the next one? Giffen only did three total here, but I still feel like there is a Fist of the North Star influence.

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Like Reading Rainbow, if the host was lazier and way more potty-mouthed.

I swear I did other stuff on vacation besides read...um, wait, it'll come back to me...I sat in a lake a bit? No, I used to read a ton, but have fallen off, partly because books can be expensive, and partly because at home I spent too much time dicking about on the computer or with action figures. Really quick: Neal Stephenson's Seveneves is undoubtedly the longest of the pile, and I thought would take forever, but it reads like butter. Really good, although I feel like the second half, after a big time jump, could've got a few more pages. Miss Morgan's Book Brigade might not seem like my usual reading fare, but it was written by a high school friend; and was damn good! In World War I, a librarian goes to France, and among other things, changes the way the whole country would see libraries. (Something we could use in this country again; we're kinda takin' libraries for granted! I oughta use mine more, but I like hording books...)

I had to stop midway through this, to put in my DVD of John Dies at the End, but it's on PlutoTV as well. I had read What The Hell Did I Just Read a couple months ago, and have to pick up Jason Pargin's other two books in that series. Ursula K. Le Guin's the Lathe of Heaven might seem old hat with the alternate realities/timelines, but did it first, with a common theme: probably anything you're interested in changing, will have a domino effect of other, unexpected changes. Chainsaw Man is a relatively recent manga, and I picked up the first volume free when I got Lupin III World's Most Wanted. The Lupin one had a different cover than I see online, and reads rather like Spy vs. Spy: not a lot of continuity. Still, I liked Chainsaw Man enough to buy the next volume, and his action figure!

My microwave died, so I had to get a new one yesterday, but I did find the McFarlane Ambush Bug (and Cheeks!) while out! And I'll probably kick myself later for paying close to full price for the WWE Lucha Low Rider, but I'm kind of supporting them in the hopes of getting an in-scale panel van one of these years.

  Tool of the Trade isn't my favorite Joe Haldeman, but it wasn't bad; and Quarry's Climax from Max Allan Collins is a violent, fun read as well; but more later.

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"The End" Week: Suicide Squad #15!

The Suicide Squad premiered in America 08/05/21, then the Peacemaker show premiered 01/13/22, and this hit the racks 05/03/22: really seems like there should've been more of a boost in sales, but I maintain it's not really a Squad without Firestorm villains, like a martini with no olives...or gin. From 2022, Suicide Squad #15, "Defunded, part 2" Written by Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, pencils by Jesús Merino and Eduardo Pansica, inks by Jesús Merino and Júlio Ferreira.

Although some other plotlines seem to be coasting to a stop, this one is mostly the Squad vs. Lex Luthor; as with Amanda Waller out of the picture, the team has to maintain their funding somehow. (Without reading the earlier issues, it looks like they were freelance under Rick Flag.) They make multiple attempts to kidnap Lex, to then ransom him for...actually, they haven't planned that far ahead. Lex is also more than a match for them, easily capturing almost all of them, but all according to plan.

The Squad at the time was Flag, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Ambush Bug, Mirror Master, and...some others? Including a bunch of Superboy-Bizarros, Match. Matches. Bunch of 'em. Lex ends the issue, and the series, almost looking directly into the camera, "Task Force Lex? We'll see." The whole thing feels like a bit of a laugh for him: he might've underestimated them, but probably still could've turned it around. Read more!

I've been kind of pissed at the Secret Six for upwards of four years now...

...so let's see if we can resolve that with the conclusion of their crossover with my guys, the Doom Patrol! From 2011, Doom Patrol #19, "Suicide Roulette, Part Two: Ring-a-Ding Doom!" Written by Keith Giffen, pencils by Matthew Clark and Ron Randall, inks by Art Thibert and Sean Parsons.

The Secret Six--which is actually eight assholes here; King Shark is present but not on the splash page roll call--have been set on Oolong Island, by spoiled legacy super-villain wannabe Eric of S.M.A.S.H, who has just ignited a volcano on the island. The Doom Patrol didn't give a great showing in the Six's comic, but start to rally here; beginning with Ambush Bug introducing Jeannette to Danny the Bungalow, taking her off the board. Ragdoll is about to peel the bandages off an unconscious Negative Man, when he gets an assist from the cranky pelican that had been harassing him for issues. Catman and Scandal come under fire by the mad scientists of Oolong, which isn't as amusing as they would've hoped. Rita throws Bane over the horizon line, where he lands by Deadshot, pinned down by the island's defenses; then Rita shows her real power to Black Alice, growing huge! But, Rita has to dig a lava trench rather than slap the sass out of her.

Eric, overconfident and sallow, was unprepared for island president Veronica Cale to get through his cloak and get a missile lock, and flees, swearing vengeance, if only to make himself feel better. With their ride splitting, the game has changed for the Six, who no longer have a reason to fight, even though Robotman pops Catman one for it. The Six are put on a jet home, after a bit more trash-talk, and Rita recovers Bumblebee from Ragdoll. Still, the amount of damage and general annoyance caused makes Cale question if the Doom Patrol are pulling their weight, and she contacts Jost of the Front Men. Her pilot warns the team, which Cliff shrugs off, figuring "Mr. Somebody or whatever he's calling himself" and Cale would never be able to work together. So, of course they've already hired the team's replacements, including Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man and the Porcelain Assassin!

I miss this version of the team, just a collection of put-upon sourpusses and weirdos in an almost workaday relationship to superheroing and PTSD. They were kinda miserable, but not without a sense of humor about it. Oh, and I didn't scan all of them, but Catman has a pretty good bit about his grandpa, while Larry and Cliff banter about not thinking. This sold virtually no copies, however...while I'm still steamed at the Six. Read more!

Kind of worried he'll look like a jackass here. More so than usual, I mean.

I also have to wonder if this book's regular readers were pleased to see today's guest-star. From 2013, All-Star Western #19, "Panning for Gold" Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, art by Moritat.

There's a new sheriff in town--kind of. By default. It's Booster Gold, who dropped square in the middle of what would've been a routine Jonah Hex plot: after his brother is arrested for "lifting skirts with a stick" over at the saloon, Emmit Stone first attempts to break him out, then escalates to murdering the sheriff of Red River Junction. Booster arrives only in time for the sheriff to say who killed him, and clocks Emmit and throws him in jail, but is left sheriff until a replacement could be found. Later, he finds Jonah Hex standing over three bodies by the river; although Hex didn't kill those men, it was the Clem Hootkins gang. Who proceed to shoot up Red River Junction while Booster is gone... Hex isn't thrilled about the carnage, but he's seen worse; and Booster remembers what he knew about Hex. Hex is more than a little suspicious about that, but still plans to track the Hootkins gang down in the morning and "have them sorted" by tomorrow night, so time for a drink! 

Booster tells Hex he's from the future, which Jonah just seems to find funny: although he calls him "future boy" from then on, it's unclear if he believes him or not. They set after the gang, after Booster pukes out his lungs. (I can't remember, but then again probably wouldn't, being so drunk that sunlight made me throw up. Booster's goggles do nothing!)

Also this issue: a Stormwatch...western? With werewolves? Alright, whatever. And a Channel 52 promo piece referencing this issue, with Ambush Bug, Calendar Man, and Zardoz Vartox wearing Booster Gold masks!  

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The Lilac City Comicon has once again come and gone, and this year we picked up 176 books and a handmade stuffed Nightcrawler! I am not even sure how much he cost, I may have just thrown my wallet and run away with him...but I do believe I had her card from last year, so check out Kelly Lundblad at Etsy. (EDIT: That link did not appear to take; I'll keep looking.)

But, why not check out one of those comics today? We'll start with a real oddity: from December 2009, Ambush Bug: Year None #7, "Whatever Happened to Ambush Bug: Year None #6?" Plot and pencils by Keith Giffen, script by Robert Loren Fleming, inks by Al Milgrom; story and art Art Baltazar, script by Franco Aureliani.

This is one of those comics where the behind-the-scenes may be more interesting than the actual comic; or perhaps from the comic that we got: this was a six-issue mini-series, the first issue of which came out July 2008, and it came out regularly up to the fifth issue January 2009...then a long and not-entirely-explained delay. Ambush Bug: Year None #6 was solicited with a Darwyn Cooke cover that would never see print--well, not really. The series would skip #6, and return with #7, featuring the Bug tied up over a pile of Ambush Bug: Year None #6, with Cooke's cover, asking for a match.

The short answer probably is, Dan Didio probably got sick of Giffen and company's nonsense, or that one or more jokes hit too close to home. Since earlier issues featured Didio as a character, and the first issue had Ambush Bug trying to buy a new refrigerator without a dead girl in it ("It's a standard feature.") I have to wonder where they crossed the line. Baltazar and Franco were Eisner winners, and may have been brought in to fill enough pages to salvage some of the book so they could publish a last issue and get people to quit asking about it. (More people probably asked about it than read it, this is Ambush Bug we're talking about.)

The series ends about the only way it could: with Ambush Bug banished once again from the DC Universe. He wouldn't be gone long, though: Giffen would bring him back during his Doom Patrol run: Didio did not seem to hold a grudge against Giffen or the Bug, and Ambush Bug would be a mascot-like character in the New 52 "Channel 52" ads. I still have to wonder what the original #6 looked like, but some of the jokes were probably of the moment anyway.

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