Calling Hero Hotline
Oct. 4th, 2014 04:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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scans_dailyHi folks!
A while back I posted a bit from the Hero Hotline appearance in Action Comics Weekly, so I thought you might like to see a bit of the full miniseries. This was actually written first, and three issues were already in the editing phase when the creators were asked to do a "preview" in Action.
7 pages of 22 from the first issue. Trigger Warning for domestic abuse.
We open with a bank of phone workers taking calls on 1980s phones with cords. One of them directs the call to social services, while others field calls about Martians, trees and small fires. Mrs. Jackson is late; it's 9:08, and starting time is 9:00 AM sharp. Turns out the school bus driver was twenty minutes late picking up her kids, a problem most working mothers can relate to. But the reason the boss is being a bit snappy about it is because there's a reporter waiting to interview Microwavabelle.
All the field operatives are in now. Sturgis is inspecting his bicep, Tom is reading the paper, Di bums a light off Billy (this is before "no smoking" offices became a thing) and Andy is trying to convince Les that his invisible friend Fred really exists. 500-ZQ introduces Microwavabelle (or "Microwave Mom" as her friends call her) to Ms. O'Flaherty of the Observer, a local paper with a circulation of about 5,000.
Les is dubious about Fred; if he's invisible on all wavelengths and completely intangible, how is he distinguishable from a random voice created by Andy's super-ventriloquism? A job comes in for Tom, and for once it's not a cat stuck up a tree, but a ring lost down a sewer grating.
Can I just say I love George and his sweetheart here?
But not all relationships go as well. Mister Muscle, as he's decided to call himself today, is called to deal with a battered wife situation, something he feels his muscles will be appropriate for. On the way out, he hands his dumbbell to Sooz, who he has forgotten doesn't have arms. As he goes out, Melanie Boulder, curvy country-western singer, comes in.
She's looking for Les, who she has been dating since he rescued her (see the Action plotline.) The now-righted Sooz brings up the corner of Bleecker and 23rd, where George is going on and on about why he wanted to propose on that particular streetcorner. His sweetheart reminds him to mention the earthquake, at which point Stretch starts listening again. Les points out that earthquakes don't happen in this part of the country. Sure enough, another earthquake happens. Les checks the ground, but it's solid bedrock. George drops the ring towards the grate again, and Stretch catches it.
Stretch tells George to either put the ring on the girl's finger, or in a pocket, but stop waving it around. Les cranks up his vision powers and finds something interesting. "The Tokyo Giants are winning 3-1."
Ms. Boulder is bending over watching the monitor and it appears from his dialogue that Fred is staring at her butt. Andy reminds Fred that Ms. Boulder is taken, even if he doesn't know what she sees in Les.
A job has been found for Andy. Seems a little old lady has been seeing Martians. The boss reminds Andy to be on his best behavior, no laughing in her face or anything like that. Andy wants to take along Fred, and the boss approves this. Andy has, alas, already made up his mind that the woman is probably a "whacko". (Yes, Andy is an ableist jerk.)
Microwave Mom describes Sturgis, Mister Muscle, as the ultimate body builder--if he ever stops exercising, he'll melt into a blob of flab. He's also very vain and can't settle on a hero name.
Mister Muscle arrives at the Bartoli residence, and meets Mrs. Bartoli. He's brought along some literature and a helpline number. Mrs. Bartoli is looking at a wedding picture and remembering how happy they were back then, before her husband started drinking heavily.
You may be thinking, "That seemed a little too easy." You would be right, as we learn later on in the series.
Microwave Mom explains that Les, "Private Eyes" invented his special lenses, but Stretch got his powers from a secret elixir (Gingold). He's the only one who knows the boss personally, possibly from as far back as the Korean War.
Les has narrowed down the source of the quakes to inside a nearby building, but there's too much lead paint and piping for him to get a clear view. Stretch sneaks in. There's a man with a jackhammer nside, grumbling about "them" having put up a building on top of where he buried his loot before he went to prison. He notices Stretch.
Sooz sounds the alarm. The man is probably Robert Coleman, aka the Quakemaster, who uses a souped-up jackhammer to cause localized earthquakes. The costume looks different, so may be upgraded. Hotshot, Diamondette and Microwavabelle are dispatched to deal with this, and the reporter follows.
Stretch and Les try to hold the Quakemaster back, but get fling through a wall for their troubles. George finally gets a bright idea, "Let's call the cops...from home!" And when more heroes arrive, "Let's watch them...on the Eleven O'Clock News!"
Fireballs and microwaves don't do much to Quakemaster--his armored costume is resistant. Diamondette is able to disable his jackhammer. Quakemaster goes berserk, and even now-arrived Mister Muscle's strength is no match for him. Stretch has worked out that the suit has an exoskeleton built in and calls for teamwork.
Quakemaster is hauled into the Hero Hotline office, and shouts that he has rights. Stretch shouts just as loudly that all the criminals have rights--after they're caught violating someone else's so shut up. Tom is rewarded with a new assignment "a job right up your tree".
As the day wraps up, Hotshot asks Di to dinner, but she reminds him that his mother is waiting for him. The hotline workers refer someone to the DMV, ask how many eyes something has, and explain that they can't stop the network pre-empting "L.A. Law" as there are some things beyond even a superhero's power.
Andy reminds the boss that Fred is putting in overtime, and the boss says Fred can discuss payment with him in the morning. The reporter thanks Microwave Mom for an interesting day that the readers will enjoy. And the phones go on ringing....
Elsewhere in the DC Universe at the same time...
Your thoughts and comments?
SKJAM!
http://www.skjam.com
A while back I posted a bit from the Hero Hotline appearance in Action Comics Weekly, so I thought you might like to see a bit of the full miniseries. This was actually written first, and three issues were already in the editing phase when the creators were asked to do a "preview" in Action.
7 pages of 22 from the first issue. Trigger Warning for domestic abuse.
We open with a bank of phone workers taking calls on 1980s phones with cords. One of them directs the call to social services, while others field calls about Martians, trees and small fires. Mrs. Jackson is late; it's 9:08, and starting time is 9:00 AM sharp. Turns out the school bus driver was twenty minutes late picking up her kids, a problem most working mothers can relate to. But the reason the boss is being a bit snappy about it is because there's a reporter waiting to interview Microwavabelle.
All the field operatives are in now. Sturgis is inspecting his bicep, Tom is reading the paper, Di bums a light off Billy (this is before "no smoking" offices became a thing) and Andy is trying to convince Les that his invisible friend Fred really exists. 500-ZQ introduces Microwavabelle (or "Microwave Mom" as her friends call her) to Ms. O'Flaherty of the Observer, a local paper with a circulation of about 5,000.
Les is dubious about Fred; if he's invisible on all wavelengths and completely intangible, how is he distinguishable from a random voice created by Andy's super-ventriloquism? A job comes in for Tom, and for once it's not a cat stuck up a tree, but a ring lost down a sewer grating.
Can I just say I love George and his sweetheart here?
But not all relationships go as well. Mister Muscle, as he's decided to call himself today, is called to deal with a battered wife situation, something he feels his muscles will be appropriate for. On the way out, he hands his dumbbell to Sooz, who he has forgotten doesn't have arms. As he goes out, Melanie Boulder, curvy country-western singer, comes in.
She's looking for Les, who she has been dating since he rescued her (see the Action plotline.) The now-righted Sooz brings up the corner of Bleecker and 23rd, where George is going on and on about why he wanted to propose on that particular streetcorner. His sweetheart reminds him to mention the earthquake, at which point Stretch starts listening again. Les points out that earthquakes don't happen in this part of the country. Sure enough, another earthquake happens. Les checks the ground, but it's solid bedrock. George drops the ring towards the grate again, and Stretch catches it.
Stretch tells George to either put the ring on the girl's finger, or in a pocket, but stop waving it around. Les cranks up his vision powers and finds something interesting. "The Tokyo Giants are winning 3-1."
Ms. Boulder is bending over watching the monitor and it appears from his dialogue that Fred is staring at her butt. Andy reminds Fred that Ms. Boulder is taken, even if he doesn't know what she sees in Les.
A job has been found for Andy. Seems a little old lady has been seeing Martians. The boss reminds Andy to be on his best behavior, no laughing in her face or anything like that. Andy wants to take along Fred, and the boss approves this. Andy has, alas, already made up his mind that the woman is probably a "whacko". (Yes, Andy is an ableist jerk.)
Microwave Mom describes Sturgis, Mister Muscle, as the ultimate body builder--if he ever stops exercising, he'll melt into a blob of flab. He's also very vain and can't settle on a hero name.
Mister Muscle arrives at the Bartoli residence, and meets Mrs. Bartoli. He's brought along some literature and a helpline number. Mrs. Bartoli is looking at a wedding picture and remembering how happy they were back then, before her husband started drinking heavily.
You may be thinking, "That seemed a little too easy." You would be right, as we learn later on in the series.
Microwave Mom explains that Les, "Private Eyes" invented his special lenses, but Stretch got his powers from a secret elixir (Gingold). He's the only one who knows the boss personally, possibly from as far back as the Korean War.
Les has narrowed down the source of the quakes to inside a nearby building, but there's too much lead paint and piping for him to get a clear view. Stretch sneaks in. There's a man with a jackhammer nside, grumbling about "them" having put up a building on top of where he buried his loot before he went to prison. He notices Stretch.
Sooz sounds the alarm. The man is probably Robert Coleman, aka the Quakemaster, who uses a souped-up jackhammer to cause localized earthquakes. The costume looks different, so may be upgraded. Hotshot, Diamondette and Microwavabelle are dispatched to deal with this, and the reporter follows.
Stretch and Les try to hold the Quakemaster back, but get fling through a wall for their troubles. George finally gets a bright idea, "Let's call the cops...from home!" And when more heroes arrive, "Let's watch them...on the Eleven O'Clock News!"
Fireballs and microwaves don't do much to Quakemaster--his armored costume is resistant. Diamondette is able to disable his jackhammer. Quakemaster goes berserk, and even now-arrived Mister Muscle's strength is no match for him. Stretch has worked out that the suit has an exoskeleton built in and calls for teamwork.
Quakemaster is hauled into the Hero Hotline office, and shouts that he has rights. Stretch shouts just as loudly that all the criminals have rights--after they're caught violating someone else's so shut up. Tom is rewarded with a new assignment "a job right up your tree".
As the day wraps up, Hotshot asks Di to dinner, but she reminds him that his mother is waiting for him. The hotline workers refer someone to the DMV, ask how many eyes something has, and explain that they can't stop the network pre-empting "L.A. Law" as there are some things beyond even a superhero's power.
Andy reminds the boss that Fred is putting in overtime, and the boss says Fred can discuss payment with him in the morning. The reporter thanks Microwave Mom for an interesting day that the readers will enjoy. And the phones go on ringing....
Elsewhere in the DC Universe at the same time...
Your thoughts and comments?
SKJAM!
http://www.skjam.com
no subject
Date: 2014-10-04 09:43 pm (UTC)But then, I'm a sucker for 'low powered heroes' and this combines that with the charm of the silver age.
no subject
Date: 2014-10-04 10:29 pm (UTC)My favorite scene was when a crook held a schoolbus that the Microwave generators kids were on, so in retaliation she microwaved the contents of his stomach, giving him a terrible stomach ache.
no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-04 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 05:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-05 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 06:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-10-06 09:07 pm (UTC)