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scans_dailyWhilst unearthing this issue, I realised that, since it's now October 2019 this issue is now officially forty years old and I feel like such an old fart right now (Covers were always dated three months ahead of their release date to increase shelf life on newstands) .
And we return to the ever popular theme of Halloween, costume parties!
I'm using a whole page of my 6 and a bit page allowance, because of the unexpected cameo at this swanky soiree.
People talk a lot about Neal Adams adding Captain America to a crowded masquerade scene in the legendary "Night of the Reaper" but fewer mention Ramona Fradon (93 and still drawing as of this typing) having the Hulk cameo in Super Friends 28, I wonder why?
Off to one side are three... particularly unusual guests... Zan and Jayna (aka the Wonder Twins) and Jimmy Olsen, all of whom are sort of cheating in terms of costume, using super-powers, and a random magic potion that Jimmy has lying around (because of COURSE he does) and discussing the fact that Bruce and Dick took the easy way out when it came to costume choices.
Aww... poor Jayna, bug I DO love that last panel wih the dancing DCU monsters!
Anyway, the party continues until midnight, when the traditional order to unmask is given, and something goes very weird...
The cause of this is revealed to be none other than Felix Faust, the DCU's go-to sinister sorceror for any such situation.
He reveals that he used his magic to subtly compel some of the wealthier guests to attend, like Bruce Wayne (Dick was just a bonus) and the guys dressed as Man-Bat, Etrigan, and a generic vampiress, because they are all owners of specific valuable gemstones...
Whilst adjusting to this, Bruce and Dick declare that if the spell means they effectively ARE the heroes they've dressed as, they are duty bound to try and stop him.(Logic meets self referential meta,.. cool!) But with a casual spell, Faust sends them smashing through a heavy door and crashing out of the ballroom.
Have to say, this seems unusually sensible for a combination of the Wonder Twins and Jimmy Olsen.
But gather the heroes they do... Jimmy summons Superman with his signal watch, and Jayna fetches Wonder Woman, who knows where Aquaman is. Superman is the first to arrive, and I include this next bit because it has one of my favouite bits of Silver Age secret identity silliness.
Yeah, no one would expect Jimmy to know who Batman and Robin are... so why tell him AT ALL?
They retrieved Batman and Robin from where they were recovering from Felix's magic blast They then consider gathering other heroes, in particular Zatanna, who had recenrly joined the JLA and whose magic would be of great assistance, but speed is of the essence and Batman has a plan for all of them, including Jimmy, Zan and Jayna.
So the heroes rush back into the ball room (being sure to use a different door, so Faust won't think that this is anything other than the reall Batman and Robin.
But Faust has an army of his own, a bunch of costume ball wearers who can, thanks to his magic, have the powers of the actual beings they are dressed as.
The fights are a little predictable, so I've trimmed most of them out. But I include these panels for the sheer slapstick of the moment.
Superman is vulnerable to magic, meaning the magically empowered "Bizarro" is more of a threat that one might expect.
The fights continue, with out heroes managing to hold their own, more or less. Wonder Woman scores a more definite win by using her lasso to order "Etrigan" to forget Fausts orders, but Batman, Robin and Aquaman are not doing so well.
In the meantime...
And Faust is shocked enough for Jimmy to be able to punch his lights out. And that breaks his spell over those in the costumes, and everyone remembers who they are
And the reason for this?
And Jimmy is suddenly a blond, probably a side effect of the werewolf potion! :)
And it sends with an actual, genuine, fourth wall breaking wink to the reader from Superman. That's how you know this was the 1970's kids... well, nearly the 1980's I suppose.
And we return to the ever popular theme of Halloween, costume parties!
I'm using a whole page of my 6 and a bit page allowance, because of the unexpected cameo at this swanky soiree.
People talk a lot about Neal Adams adding Captain America to a crowded masquerade scene in the legendary "Night of the Reaper" but fewer mention Ramona Fradon (93 and still drawing as of this typing) having the Hulk cameo in Super Friends 28, I wonder why?
Off to one side are three... particularly unusual guests... Zan and Jayna (aka the Wonder Twins) and Jimmy Olsen, all of whom are sort of cheating in terms of costume, using super-powers, and a random magic potion that Jimmy has lying around (because of COURSE he does) and discussing the fact that Bruce and Dick took the easy way out when it came to costume choices.
Aww... poor Jayna, bug I DO love that last panel wih the dancing DCU monsters!
Anyway, the party continues until midnight, when the traditional order to unmask is given, and something goes very weird...
The cause of this is revealed to be none other than Felix Faust, the DCU's go-to sinister sorceror for any such situation.
He reveals that he used his magic to subtly compel some of the wealthier guests to attend, like Bruce Wayne (Dick was just a bonus) and the guys dressed as Man-Bat, Etrigan, and a generic vampiress, because they are all owners of specific valuable gemstones...
Whilst adjusting to this, Bruce and Dick declare that if the spell means they effectively ARE the heroes they've dressed as, they are duty bound to try and stop him.(Logic meets self referential meta,.. cool!) But with a casual spell, Faust sends them smashing through a heavy door and crashing out of the ballroom.
Have to say, this seems unusually sensible for a combination of the Wonder Twins and Jimmy Olsen.
But gather the heroes they do... Jimmy summons Superman with his signal watch, and Jayna fetches Wonder Woman, who knows where Aquaman is. Superman is the first to arrive, and I include this next bit because it has one of my favouite bits of Silver Age secret identity silliness.
Yeah, no one would expect Jimmy to know who Batman and Robin are... so why tell him AT ALL?
They retrieved Batman and Robin from where they were recovering from Felix's magic blast They then consider gathering other heroes, in particular Zatanna, who had recenrly joined the JLA and whose magic would be of great assistance, but speed is of the essence and Batman has a plan for all of them, including Jimmy, Zan and Jayna.
So the heroes rush back into the ball room (being sure to use a different door, so Faust won't think that this is anything other than the reall Batman and Robin.
But Faust has an army of his own, a bunch of costume ball wearers who can, thanks to his magic, have the powers of the actual beings they are dressed as.
The fights are a little predictable, so I've trimmed most of them out. But I include these panels for the sheer slapstick of the moment.
Superman is vulnerable to magic, meaning the magically empowered "Bizarro" is more of a threat that one might expect.
The fights continue, with out heroes managing to hold their own, more or less. Wonder Woman scores a more definite win by using her lasso to order "Etrigan" to forget Fausts orders, but Batman, Robin and Aquaman are not doing so well.
In the meantime...
And Faust is shocked enough for Jimmy to be able to punch his lights out. And that breaks his spell over those in the costumes, and everyone remembers who they are
And the reason for this?
And Jimmy is suddenly a blond, probably a side effect of the werewolf potion! :)
And it sends with an actual, genuine, fourth wall breaking wink to the reader from Superman. That's how you know this was the 1970's kids... well, nearly the 1980's I suppose.
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Date: 2019-11-01 06:58 pm (UTC)Ah well this is still pretty sensible for a Super Friends story.
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Date: 2019-11-01 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-11-02 02:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-11-02 10:15 pm (UTC)