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Volume 1, Number 117 December 2019 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow

Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!

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BACKSEAT DRIVER: Editorial by Michael Eury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 FLASHBACK: Becoming His Own Hero: John Stewart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The character’s evolution from a substitute Green Lantern to a major player BEYOND CAPES: Superman’s Stand-In, Gregory Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The DC Universe’s ultimate typecast character FLASHBACK: James Rhodes: the Essential Stand-In Superhero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 He’s Tony Stark’s pal, a surrogate Iron Man, and much, much more PRINCE STREET NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Cartoonist Karl Heitmueller, Jr. takes his jabs at superhero stand-ins FLASHBACK: Beta Ray Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 A chronological ’80s and ’90s history of the Stormbreaker-wielding monster-Thor BRING ON THE BAD GUYS: Agent of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 John Walker’s evolution from villain Super-Patriot to fill-in Captain America to U.S.Agent FLASHBACK: The Coming of Azrael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 This avenging angel stood where the Dark Knight fell BACK TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Reader reactions on issues #110–112 BACK ISSUE™ is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614. Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief. John Morrow, Publisher. Editorial Office: BACK ISSUE, c/o Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief, 112 Fairmount Way, New Bern, NC 28562. Email: euryman@gmail.com. Eight-issue subscriptions: $89 Economy US, $135 International, $36 Digital. Please send subscription orders and funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial office. Cover art by Walter Simonson. Beta Ray Bill Thor TM & © Marvel. All Rights Reserved. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © 2019 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 1

by M

It just goes to show you how some stories from our childhoods can permanently imprint us. Before you message me, “Why wasn’t [insert name of another superhero stand-in here] included in the issue?”—let me remind you that there are only so many pages in a single edition, and that our themes aren’t intended to promise a comprehensive guide to a subject. Superhero stand-ins Thunderstrike and Wally West Flash have previously been covered in our pages (although Wally will zip back in a future edition), and others, such as Kyle Rayner-Green Lantern, Hal Jordan-Spectre, Artemis-Wonder Woman, and the Reign of the Supermen, will appear in BACK ISSUE in the years to come. In closing, I’d like to offer an editorial shout-out to two readers who suggested this theme: Rich Fitter and Simon Bullivant. It’s obviously a great idea for an issue. Gentlemen, a complimentary copy of this issue is winging your way as a thank-you.

2 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

Batman, Robin, and Alfred TM & © DC Comics. Captain Action © Captain Action Enterprises. Misc. superheroes © the respective copyright holders.

My first encounter with a superhero stand-in occurred when I was a small boy, in early September 1966, when Alfred the Butler masqueraded as TV’s Caped Crusader on the Season Two opener for ABC’s Batman. Lanky, snow-mustachioed, English thespian Alan Napier looked no more like the athletic, chiseled, matinee idol Adam West than, say, Jill St. John looked like Burt Ward. But, hey, Alfred-as-Batman fooled the asleep-at-the-wheel Commissioner Gordon… and showed me that at times, a superhero needs a backup to cover for him. I was only discovering editor Mort Weisinger’s Superman franchise at the time and had not yet learned that the Man of Steel, upon occasion, called upon a superhero stand-in— a Superman robot, Bruce Wayne, and on one crazy occasion, US President John F. Kennedy—to double for him, or for Clark Kent, when a story called for Superman and Kent to be in the same place at the same time. I did, however, discover in 1966 a superhero who made a career on being a stand-in for other masked men: Ideal Toys’ Captain Action, a rather constipated-faced generic swashbuckler who could, with the mere change of a sold-separately uniform and mask of a licensed superhero—and a healthy dose of a kid’s imagination— “become” Aquaman, Captain America, the Phantom, the Lone Ranger, and other costumed crimefighters. Yet these superhero stand-in examples were generally done-in-one exercises in storytelling or playtime. It was etched in the annals of comic-book fandom that Green Lantern was Hal Jordan, Iron Man was Tony Stark, Thor was Don Blake, Captain America was Steve Rogers, Batman was Bruce Wayne—to suggest otherwise was heresy. That’s why the stories covered in this issue are so influential. John Stewart, James Rhodes, Beta Ray Bill, John Walker, and Jean-Paul Valley shook up fandom, their comics’ creators daring to upset the status quo. Each of those characters ultimately evolved into more than merely a substitute, however, earning permanence in pop culture. And then there’s Gregory Reed, a superhero stand-in of another kind, Earth-One’s screen Superman who, in a few Bronze Age tales, stood in for the Metropolis Marvel. Interestingly, more writers from BACK ISSUE’s writers’ pool lobbied to chronicle his story than any other superhero stand-in included in this issue.

ichael Eury

When people think of a replacement or substitute, they might think of someone who is maybe not quite as good as the original. In the case of John Stewart, the man who was intended to be the backup for Hal Jordan as a Green Lantern of Earth, that might have been the case starting out, but as time passed, the character has grown into his own man. More than that, he has grown into his own hero. The process hasn’t been quick and it wasn’t painless. John Stewart started out as a young black man who felt like the system was against him. As Hal Jordan noted in John’s first appearance, John challenged authority and wasn’t the type of person who would just fall in line. Indeed, John served as a reflection of the anger and frustration black youth felt towards the establishment of the early 1970s. Because of personal tragedies and mistakes he made along the way as a Green Lantern, John Stewart has grown over the course of several decades as various writers and artists have added to his story and molded him into one of the most layered characters in the DC Universe. No longer an angry young man, John is now a seasoned warrior and leader. So don’t ever call John Stewart the “backup” Green Lantern. Just call him Green Lantern.

IN THE BEGINNING…

by D a n

Johnson

John Stewart was created by the legendary comics team of Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams. He made his first appearance in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87 (Dec. 1971–Jan. 1972) during that book’s historic “relevance” run when its creators tackled such timely social topics as pollution, overpopulation, and drug abuse. With John Stewart, O’Neil and Adams addressed the need to bring more diversity and equal representation of African-American characters to comic books. The process began thanks to a conversation between Neal Adams and his editor. “I was sitting with [Green Lantern editor Julius] ‘Julie’ Schwartz and I was talking about the idea of doing another Green Lantern,” said Adams in a previous interview for BACK ISSUE, in issue #8, the Black Superheroes issue. “I said, ‘Let me ask you a question, Julie. If you were to do another Green Lantern, do you think you would make him a white guy?’ Julie said yes, he thought so, to sell comics. ‘Why are you asking?’ I said, ‘Well, you have a Green Lantern who came to Earth, Abin Sur, and he was going to die. So he sent out the ring and the ring was to find the most noble and bravest guy on Earth to become Green Lantern. It makes sense to me that it would find Hal Jordan. Hal Jordan was a test pilot, who under various people’s tutelage seemed to have been a pretty good fella. Then the ring went out and found a replacement [for Hal] and it turned out that this replacement, Guy Gardner, happened to be a white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, blond-haired gym teacher. Now this has to be straining the edge of credulity here that the second best guy on Earth [to become

The New Green Lantern Move over, Hal Jordan… John Stewart’s the ring-man now! Dave Gibbons’ gut-punching cover art to Green Lantern #183 (Dec. 1984). TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 3

Fearless John Stewart’s landmark first appearance, in the O’Neil/Adams classic, Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87 (Dec. 1971– Jan. 1972). TM & © DC Comics.

a Green Lantern] is a white guy. It seemed to me that if Julie, in his generation’s innocence, asked why. I said, the ring was going to go out a third time, I don’t ‘Julie, that’s a slave name. I don’t think you think it’s going to find a white, Anglocould find a more slave name than Lincoln Washington.’ There were black guys in Saxon Protestant guy, it’s going to find an Oriental guy or a black guy. The gist America then who were changing their of my question to Julie was, ‘Can’t we names to Muslim names to avoid slave find a black Green Lantern?’” names, I explained. Julie asked me From this conversation came what I thought his name ought to John Stewart, who was destined to be. I said, ‘I don’t know if you help change DC Comics as its first want to go to the Muslim thing, African-American superhero. As it but just give him a regular name, was, John was originally going to be like John Stewart, that would be a really good name.” named Lincoln Washington until Adams took issue with the moniker Adams also suggested John’s with editor Schwartz. “I got the first profession, one that helped establish neal adams pages of the script, [and the story him even more as a realistic, grounded was originally about] this fellow character. “I had originally asked © Luigi Novi / named ‘Lincoln Washington,’” Wikimedia Commons. that he be made an architect,” stated explained Adams. “I [went to Julie] Adams. “[And that he] be given a and said, ‘I’m having a little trouble with this name.’ profession that anyone who is black would look at it and say, ‘Yeah, I could buy that.’” With a realistic name and occupation in place, John Stewart was at last ready to break new ground. “Neal and I were kind of aware that we were pushing the envelope a bit,” said writer Denny O’Neil in that same edition of BACK ISSUE. “I think it was just a consensus between us and Julie Schwartz that we needed a black character. The rationale for being a Green Lantern made it very easy to create an AfricanAmerican Green Lantern because there is no reason a guy like that couldn’t get the ring.”

KEEPING THINGS REAL

While O’Neil did a fine job giving life to John in his first appearance, he did wonder if he was the right man for the task. “Ideally, of course, [John] would have been written by a black writer, but there were virtually none in the field back then,” said O’Neil. “I always feel a little awkward when I’m doing an ethnic character because it’s not Irish Catholic, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.” In the end, O’Neil did just fine and it is generally agreed upon that John faired better as a character than some of the African-American heroes that would follow him. O’Neil and Adams kept things real by, well, keeping John real. “There are also artists who, when they draw black people, draw a standard face,” said Adams. “They have a face they think of and many of the things they do are controlled by their desire not to offend. In fact, some of these artists are Afro-American themselves. That’s why my John Stewart looks unique and singular and like no other black face I have done. I ran into a couple other problems when I did John Stewart. Julie mentioned I was doing [John’s] lips a little big. I said to Julie, ‘You know, one of the things about an African’s face is that their lips tend to be big, that’s not a bad thing. Their noses are broad too, and that’s not a bad thing. No offense, but many people in America, and many people around the world, have a really bad standard of beauty. It’s what I see [as an artist], and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Putting thick lips on John Stewart was the right thing to do. They weren’t overly thick; they were handsomely thick. He was a very handsome guy, John Stewart.” Adams went on to tell BACK ISSUE how his demand for a realistic look for John helped DC see the light in how they had been presenting people of color for a long time in their comics and make a change to a very grievous practice. “DC Comics had this rule that said if someone had dark skin, you were supposed to color them YR2B2,” said Adams. “That’s solid yellow, red 25% 4 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

and blue 25%, that was [their] color for black people. At Marvel Comics, it was Y2R2B2, which essentially is gray. At DC Comics, YR2B2 is also the color of khaki uniforms in the war books. Not many people of an African persuasion had that skin color. On the other hand, most people who are African-American have fairly dark skin, so I made John’s skin darker. I did it YR3B2, which is a redder, thick brown, using 50% red. When I did that, the head of production, Sol Harrison, came to me and said, ‘Neal, this is awfully brown. Don’t you think some black people will be offended?’ (You can see my life in those days was filled with questions that were asked of me that I never thought would enter a human mind.) I told him I thought they would be [more] offended if you colored their skin khaki or colored their skin gray. I said, ‘I’m sure that if I had brown skin, I would want you to color it brown. I think that’s the way its supposed to be, don’t you, Sol?’”

MAKING THE SCENE

When John made his big debut, there was some debate as to how well it went. “[The response to John’s first appearance] was mixed,” said O’Neil. “I would say it was overwhelmingly positive, but I think in certain sections of the country, the comics did not leave the [distributors’] boxcars and we got one or two nasty letters.” Adams, though, had different thoughts on John’s first appearance. “I think that is an impression people like to play on [that there were comics left on the boxcars],” counters Adams. “I think there were some rumors about that, but I just don’t think that’s

true. You could find one freaked out, crazy distributor who might be reluctant to put the copies on the newsstand, but once it makes it to the newsstand, you know darn well what’s going to happen. Black guys in the neighborhood are going to buy [that issue], and the white guys are going to buy it, too. Everyone was following Green Lantern/Green Arrow.” Regardless of any negative response DC Comics might have gotten, the creation of John Stewart was the right thing to do at the time. All forms of entertainment were changing in how they represented African-Americans on the big screen, the small screen, and in print. Granted, the representations weren’t always the most positive, but there was no denying that African-American audiences were eager to see themselves represented in all media. It was logical that comic books would follow suit, and it was a logic that O’Neil points out that editor Julie Schwartz recognized. “Julie was totally supportive of [John],” said O’Neil. “Here’s one of the things that was extraordinary about Julie Schwartz: he had an almost fanatic respect for the past. Yet, as far as the work went, he was always interested in the next thing. Julie personally evolved so many characters, starting when he was given the job of reintroducing the Flash. He re-invented the character, and he did the same with Green Lantern, then the Justice League and then with Superman. Almost more than any other editor, except for maybe Stan Lee, Julie realized [comics] had to evolve and it has to be contemporary. I think Julie was 100% in favor of introducing a black character. Although it [was] Neal’s idea to do it.”

What, This Again? (left) Writer Len Wein cleverly incapacitates the wielder of the universe’s most powerful weapon by having Hal Jordan slip on a bar of soap in Justice League of America #110 (Mar.–Apr. 1974). (right) John reluctantly does the ring thing again in O’Neil’s Green Lantern/ Green Arrow #94 (Apr.–May 1977). TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 5

Animated Lantern Actor Phil LaMarr, voice of (in background) John Stewart in the Justice League cartoon series. Stewart has continued to appear in subsequent DC animated projects, on TV and in made-for-DVD films. TM & © DC Comics.

for Warner Bros. on another show, Static Shock, and I was brought in to audition for Justice League,” recalled LaMarr. “As a comics reader, it was definitely interesting to see what characters had been picked [to make up the League]. We didn’t know if these were the only characters [they would be using on the show], but the fact that they had John Stewart as the Green Lantern was very interesting. Once I started working on the show, I asked Bruce [Timm] about that. I don’t think this was the only reason, but the first thing he mentioned was, ‘Well, I just didn’t want it to be a bunch of white guys going around saving the universe!’” From the very beginning, the writers on the show set out to make John Stewart his own man, and this was a fact that LaMarr picked up on right from the beginning. “It is interesting because [the writers] rewrote the character in many ways,” said LaMarr. “At first I thought John was just going to be Hal Jordan in brown skin. I figured, ‘Okay, he’s the Green Lantern, he’s the hero who has always been Green Lantern,’ but they gave him a different background and a different personality. Hal was more of a guy’s guy than John Stewart is. This John Stewart doesn’t have any buddies in the League.” Like many writers and artists, actors often get to leave their mark on comic-book characters, too. When asked about this, LaMarr shared what he thought was his mark he left on John Stewart as a character. “As a voice actor, your contribution is very subtle. You come into the process long after the scripts are done, so really what happens is, it becomes a cumulative effect. The way you perform the words in one episode gives the writers a voice that helps them write the next episode. I chose to give John a very deep, powerful voice. For me, that couldn’t be avoided, given the way Bruce designs characters. You have this gigantic chest and that says to me this guy has a huge

resonating chamber [and] his voice has to boom. [The producers and writers] told me about [John’s] military background, and in my experience, most of the black guys that age who went into the Army did so to get out of bad circumstances. They didn’t have a ton of opportunities, and [the military] was one of the best ones. Also, my dad is from Detroit, and I modeled a lot of [John’s] voice on him. He’s a very intelligent guy, but not excessively educated. He’s someone who can think, but you can still hear the old neighborhood in his voice.” Another thing that LaMarr added to John Stewart’s personality, and to his mythos, was something very near and dear to the actor: reading comic books. “I think that was a conscious nod from the writers,” said LaMarr. “They did that once they realized I was a big geek like them. Once you find that fact out, it doesn’t seem out of character [for John], but if someone was to tell you beforehand, you would be like, ‘Really!?! John Stewart reads comic books!?!’ Once you see it in play, it all makes sense. As the comic-book geek, I think I spent more time hanging around the writers asking them what was coming next. I had an emotional investment in these characters, so they probably went, ‘Hey! Let’s give Phil more lines!’”

IN RETROSPECT

Today, John Stewart is a more prominent character than ever before. Thanks to his appearances in the Justice League animated series, many fans see him as an equal to Hal Jordan, if not the one, true Green Lantern. But how do his creators see him and his role in the DC Universe today? “It’s a mistake to think that with a character that’s been around for as long as most of these guys that there is only one, absolute right way to interpret them,” said Denny O’Neil about the way other writers have presented John. “If you watch Laurence Olivier and Mel Gibson play Hamlet, it’s a very different play and they’re both valid on their own terms. It depends on the skill with which it is done. [The later stories] are not my version certainly, but that’s fine. As long as on its own terms it works, I have no qualms at all.” “I think they’ve been doing him okay,” said Neal Adams when asked about the way John Stewart had been handled. “One of the reasons I fought so hard to have a black Green Lantern as I did not want anybody to have any reason to say this character shouldn’t exist. The ring went out and sought the best, it gave him the prize, and the prize was that he got the job of cleaning up everyone else’s mess, and if he was wiling to take it, he wasn’t going to have any reward, all he would have is a little gold star in his notebook and he would be a hero. That prize was given once to a white guy and a couple of times to some a**holes, but it was given to John Stewart rightly, and John Stewart to me is a real hero as opposed to a secondary hero. “Even when he first came out, which I’m really so proud of Denny O’Neil for doing this, John just didn’t take crap from Hal Jordan. I felt that was exactly the way he ought to be. John Stewart became the other Green Lantern, and not just ‘junior Green Lantern’ or a replacement. That was really what I was hoping for from the beginning.” DAN JOHNSON is a comics writer whose work can be found in Cemetery Plots from Empire Comics Lab. His other notable comics work includes Herc and Thor for Antarctic Press and several books for Campfire Graphic Novels. He is also a gag writer for the Dennis the Menace comic strip.

12 • BACK ISSUE • Superhero Stand-Ins Issue

by P h i l i p

Schweier

There’s no denying the impact The Adventures of Superman (1952–1958) has had in the comic-book world. The TV show has been broadcast continuously for decades, cultivating generations of Superman fans. For many, actor George Reeves was their first exposure to the Man of Steel. “For me and millions of other kids in the 1950s,” says long-time Superman writer Cary Bates, “Reeves became an icon who embodied all the noble and heroic traits that defined Superman. His image was so unassailable, none of us seemed to notice our Man of Steel was in fact a slightly paunchy 40-something man wearing shoulder pads.” Bates’ frequent compadre in the comic-book trenches, Elliot S! Maggin, agrees. Throughout the 1970s, they wrote many of the Man of Steel’s adventures. “Reeves brought interpretations and nuance to the character of which only Superman’s creators had been aware before. He was a consummate actor, living every bit as much in any given moment as a gifted stage performer— and playing a character who just didn’t occur in nature to boot. Not many people can pull off a role like that.”

A STAR IS BORN

In 1972, Reeves’ influence made its way to Superman’s comic-book world, in the form of supporting player Gregory Reed. The thinly veiled homage to Reeves was the product of late night meetings at the Hilltop Diner in Queens, where Bates and Maggin shared story ideas. “We worked closely like that from the time Cary got an apartment a block away from mine and for a couple of years after that,” Maggin says, though he offers the lion’s share of Reed’s development to Bates. “Cary used the character first, so obviously it’s his creation.” In Action Comics #414 (July 1972), Bates wrote “Superman vs. Superstar,” with art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. The story opens with a would-be bank robber challenging the Man of Steel. However, when an escaped tiger approaches, Superman panics, until a second Superman arrives to handle the big cat. It is quickly revealed the robbery scene is just that— a scene from a movie being filmed. Gregory Reed, the costumed actor, retires to his trailer, angry at being upstaged by the real Superman. Reed had built a film career as the Man of Steel, but was disfigured when a stunt went tragically wrong. The studio managed to keep his scars a secret, and thanks to a lot of Hollywood makeup and costuming, portraying Superman is Reed’s only career option. Blaming Superman for derailing his life and career, the embittered actor seeks out the dark powers of magic. He lures Superman to his home to apologize for his earlier rude behavior, and uses sorcery to trap Superman and exchange bodies. Now gifted with superhuman abilities, he’s ready to trade lives with the weakened hero, leaving Superman to continue the life of a disfigured movie star.

Caught in the Act Action Comics #414 (July 1972), introducing the DC Universe’s Superman actor, Gregory Reed. Cover by Nick Cardy. TM & © DC Comics.

Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 13

KIRBY & LEE: STUF’ SAID (Expanded Second Edition)

After achieving the quickest sell-out in TwoMorrows’ history, we’re going back to press for an EXPANDED SECOND EDITION, including minor corrections, and 16 NEW PAGES of “Stuf’ Said” by the creators of the Marvel Universe! This first-ofits-kind examination, completed just days before STAN LEE’s recent passing, looks back at KIRBY & LEE’s own words, in chronological order, from fanzine, magazine, radio, and television interviews, to paint the most comprehensive and enlightening picture of their relationship ever done—why it succeeded, where it deteriorated, and when it eventually failed. Also here are recollections from STEVE DITKO, WALLACE WOOD, JOHN ROMITA SR., and more Marvel Bullpen stalwarts who worked with them both. Compiled, researched, and edited by publisher JOHN MORROW. SECOND EDITION NOW SHIPPING! (176-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $26.95 • (Digital Edition) $12.95 ISBN: 978-1-60549-094-6 • Order at www.twomorrows.com

by J o

hn Kirk

Heroism is the noblest state of being to which a person can aspire, but people have moments of weaknesses, flaws, and vulnerabilities. Even the most heroic person has to have a limit. So, that begs the question: What qualifies someone to be a substitute hero? There has to be a journey, and it has to start from somewhere. James “Rhodey” Rhodes began his journey to becoming the superhero War Machine with many steps in between. He first appeared as a reliable employee who later became a trusted friend, and though there were moments in his relationship with Tony Stark that tested their friendship, there was still trust and confidence that managed to make for entertaining and memorable stories. Rhodey’s bravery, loyalty, and the combination of other attributes like combat skills, avionics engineering knowledge, and an overall reliability that all manifested in different stages of his life give readers a sense of Rhodes’ deservedness to take on the role of Iron Man and later, War Machine.

THE “WINGMAN”

We were first introduced to James Rhodes in Iron Man #118 (Jan. 1979), co-plotted by inker Bob Layton and scripter David Michelinie and penciled by John Byrne. This was a seemingly innocuous introduction of a minor supporting character which included a brief conversation between the pilot/engineer of Stark’s personal air transport and his boss. It was a logical presumption that a billionaire industrialist (Stark) would have his own personal aircraft and pilot (Rhodes). john byrne Rhodes is presented as affable, confident, and not subservient. There’s a respect © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. between the two men in these first panels that signals the type of relationship they would continue to have. While a brief encounter, it was significant enough for creator John Byrne to wonder how he should be presented. “I was kind of a mid-wife in the creation of Rhodey, so he is somewhat near and dear,” Byrne recounted in Andy Mangels’ book, Iron Man: Beneath the Armor. “I actually drew it sitting at a tiny drawing board tucked into the corner of [Iron Man editor] Roger Stern’s office. I came to the page Jim Rhodes first appeared on and I looked over at Rog and said, ‘Any reason why this guy shouldn’t be black?’ Rog liked the idea, so I drew Rhodey as a black man.” Byrne is emphatically proud of this daring decision. Though skin color shouldn’t have been an issue in deciding the merit of a new character, that was still a consideration in the 1970s, and the idea of a minority character, even a supporting one, could have been seen as challenging, as minority characters were still rare in comic books and the popular culture at large. Rhodey’s race was not a matter of concern for Byrne, Stern, Michelinie, or Layton, but it was still conceivable that it could present itself as one for some readers. But Rhodes was presented as not just a “Fifth Business” supporting character of marginal

The Man in the Iron Mask Rhodey begins his career as Tony Stark’s replacement in Iron Man #170 (May 1983). Cover by Luke McDonnell and Steve Mitchell. TM & © Marvel.

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EDDIE MARCH: THE FIRST STAND-IN IRON MAN First appearing in Iron Man #21 (Jan. 1970), Eddie March is a boxer who so fervently admired the Armored Avenger’s resilience that he took the nickname of “Iron Man” in the ring. Iron Man never gave up, so neither would March. In this two-part tale (concluding in issue #22) by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, and Mike Esposito, Stark aide Happy Hogan takes his boss out for a night at the fights. Happy introduces Tony to Eddie, a former sparring partner of Hogan’s. March has just learned from a post-fight doctor’s exam that a brain blood clot will keep him from ever entering the ring again, so he tells his old pal Hap that he is retiring from fighting. Soon, Eddie, whose precarious health he keeps secret, is employed at Stark Industries. Meanwhile, Tony is hesitant about being Iron Man and is rethinking his dual life as the Armored Avenger. Eddie March, whose bravery in the ring dazzled Stark, is thrilled to step into the armor to become Iron Man for real. March’s first assignment brings as Iron Man him into TM & © Marvel. combat with the Crimson Dynamo, who is wearing newly updated armor. The Dynamo proves more than a match for the neophyte Iron Man. While coordinating Iron Man II’s activities from a distance, Stark learns of March’s blood clot and that his stand-in’s actions as Iron Man are imperilling his wellbeing. Stark puts on a duplicate suit of Iron Man armor and races to Eddie’s rescue, where March is discovered to be in urgent need of medical attention. Eddie is rushed into surgery, and when Stark asks the doctor if there is anything he—or Iron Man—can do, he is told to pray. March survives. Eddie March is distinguished by being the first Iron Man stand-in actively recruited by Tony Stark. Interestingly, he, like James Rhodes, is African American, a rarity in superhero comics when these issues of Iron Man were published in late 1969. He would make further appearances in Marvel comics in later years. March’s may have been a short stint behind the iron mask, but his time as Iron Man is an excellent example of bravery and courage—qualities emulated by James Rhodes in the future.

significance—he was one who provided a valuable service to Stark as personal pilot or airplane mechanic, and as we would see in the subsequent issues, a fellow raconteur, chum, or, in a vernacular sense, a true wingman. Beginning with Iron Man #156 (Mar. 1982), we see Rhodey banter with his boss about his romantic conquests and reinforce his sterling reputation as a pilot. This is context for not only his role as a confidant, but when we see him leap to Iron Man’s defense in his battle with the Mauler, Rhodes, armed only with a fire hose, also proves himself to be a brave, “stand-up guy.” This sort of action not only hints at the type of character he will become in latter issues, but shows that he is worthy dennis o’neil of taking on the mantle of “hero.” It is this action that legitimizes James Rhodes’ status as an important aide to © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. Tony Stark. Denny O’Neil, who took over the Iron Man writing duties in the early 1980s, further develops this notion. We see the continuation of banter between Stark and Rhodes in issue #163 (Oct. 1982). As they fly, Rhodey speaks to Stark in familiar tones, and even forms part of the entourage as Stark, Tony’s new paramour Indries Moomji, and Rhodes arrive at their destination. Eventually, Rhodey becomes a major story element in this issue as Stark has to fight against time to get a poisoned pilot to a hospital for medical care. Rhodes becomes more of a friend and an important character that figures strongly in the Iron Man mythos.

DONNING THE ARMOR

The #160s issues of Iron Man form the initial foundation of the Stark/Rhodes relationship. As O’Neil was strongly focusing on exploiting the weaknesses that Michelinie had instilled within Stark, he was also building up Rhodes’ character to be a worthy successor. In #167 (Feb. 1983), Tony calls James his “best friend,” and in #169, we see that friendship tested when Rhodey steps up for his friend in the most unexpected way: putting on the Iron Man suit during a time of crisis. “Rhodes was the most logical candidate to don the suit when Stark became incapacitated,” Denny O’Neil categorically states about the succession decision. “[Rhodey’s] ethnicity was never any kind of issue.” Luke McDonnell, at that time the penciler of Iron Man, adds, “I’m not sure if his being black was really much of a point in the story. It was more of an issue of personality—Rhodes being a hothead, compared to Stark’s cool rationalism, and how that affected things when they put on the tin suit.” Yet, while this may have been a Stark-centric plotline, its implications upon the development of Rhodes as a more important character created an entirely fresh path for the Iron Man saga. A brand-new Iron Man came into being at the end of issue #169. This was the period that saw Stark’s second descent into alcoholism, echoing the dramatic subject of Iron Man’s celebrated “Demon in a Bottle” storyline of 1979, calling for another wearer to take on the armor. A picture is worth a thousand words, but even in the few images at the end of this issue, we see a man fully aware of the awesome power he is being handed. The first time we see the helmet lowered on to Rhodes’ head, we see that understanding in his face. Issue #170 (May 1983) perfectly captures the initial stages of Rhodey’s insecurity. With absolutely no training save the natural instincts of a pilot, Rhodes takes the Iron Man armor from the inebriated Stark, puts it on, and immediately leaps into combat—with the aforementioned and unconscious Stark stored safely in a technical storage shed. Despite his nervousness, Rhodes’ bravery is immediately tested—and made evident, which more than qualifies him to stand in for Stark. From a storytelling perspective, this makes an entertaining dynamic. With this plot twist, we now have an Iron Man who has no scope of his

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powers. James Rhodes is the hero who rises to the occasion, despite the fact that he doesn’t know the capabilities of the armor he is wearing. He can’t regulate its strength, and even though he is a pilot, he is unfamiliar with the flight capacity and maneuverability of the suit. This underscores a theme of insecurity that writers like Denny O’Neil and Roger Stern would capitalize on in future issues. After issue #170, we see more testing of Jim Rhodes’ character. Tony Stark is washed out and drifting. Rhodes tries to secure Stark by taking him to the safest place he can think— his mother’s house in Philadelphia—but that gesture of support is for naught. Rhodes is also trying to the right thing by Tony, for whom he feels tremendous loyalty, by attempting to secure the extra suits of Iron Man armor from rival Obadiah Stane’s grasp. Stark disappears from Mrs. Rhodes’ house and loses himself in the streets of Philadelphia. Meanwhile, an even more fretful Rhodes has to next contend with S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury, who is determined to obtain the same missing armor. In a few issues after he has donned the helmet of Iron Man, James Rhodes has demonstrated courage, ingenuity, and a steadfast loyalty to his friend.

GROWING CONFIDENCE

By issue #175 (Oct. 1983), James Rhodes has become surer of himself and his use of the Iron Man armor. He has become more adventurous, seeking out missions and excuses to operate as Iron Man. When Stark employee Morley Erwin challenges Rhodey to work together with him and his sister to form an electronics firm, he readily agrees since there is no way to make a living out of adventuring without Stark’s bankrolling millions. While this may be seen as a decision made out of necessity, it’s also a sign of Rhodes’ increasing sense of self-assurance as he becomes more used to actually being Iron Man instead of simply standing in for him. In subsequent issues, Rhodes begins to look for additional sources of revenue. In #177 (Dec. 1983) he connects with the “Heroes for Hire,” Iron Fist and Power Man, and lands a bodyguarding contract for lucrative pay. While not normally Rhodey’s forte, he manages to pull off the job and bring seed money home to the Erwin siblings, Morley and Clytemnestra, who are eager to start their new electronics company. This is one of the first moments when Rhodes realizes he can bring something uniquely his own to the role of Iron Man. He earns the respect of the Erwins, and while not in their scientific caliber, he is seen by them as having fortitude and character. He still acknowledges that he is Iron Man only until Tony Stark stops drinking, but his actions and intentions demonstrate that he is in the suit for the long haul. However, during this time, Rhodey begins to develop headaches that manifest over-aggressive behavior. This will become part of a storyline (discussed shortly) that sees his personality degrade and makes him grow even more resentful when Tony Stark eventually returns to the role of Iron Man. While this will not happen until after two other major events in Rhodes’ career as Iron Man, the seeds for that storyline are planted here.

Ready to Serve (top left) Meet Stark’s pilot Rhodey, in Iron Man #118 (Jan. 1979). By David Michelinie, John Byrne, and Bob Layton. (top right) The Mauler gets hosed by Rhodes in issue #156. (bottom right) An amazing 1979 commissioned illustration by Bob Layton featuring Iron Man and his cast, including the star of this article, James Rhodes. Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © Marvel.

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A Monster Thor???! Fandom gasped when Walter Simonson introduced Beta Ray Bill on the cover of The Mighty Thor #337 (Nov. 1983)—and the hot-selling issue soon disappeared from comic shops and spin racks. TM & © Marvel.

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by S

tephan Friedt

Beta Ray Bill has had a sporadic history as a character. Shortly after Walter Simonson’s introduction of the character in the pages of The Mighty Thor (herewith Thor), Bill was relegated to appearing only occasionally, usually in a one-page appearance giving some hint of his soap-opera-like life. After Walt left Thor, there would be months, sometimes years, between Beta Ray Bill’s appearances… writers would use him as a secondary or background character, some leaving his condition hanging. In many instances he received no more than a cameo appearance just to keep his memory alive. Some writers would take him to heart, devoting full stories to his interactions with other characters: Ron Marz and Mark Gruenwald come to mind, and much later in his history, Michael Avon Oeming and Dan Berman. Bill was always intended to be a hero… but he was drawn as a monster.

structure of a beautiful animal underneath the monster to give this dichotomy between the monstrous and the beautiful in the same face.” How did Simonson come up with the name “Beta Ray Bill”? “I chose the name for its alliterative qualities,” he said in the Kirby Collector interview. “Originally I was going to call him ‘Beta Ray Jones,’ because I really wanted a common name. My feeling was, ‘Bill’ was ‘Everyman’ for this alien race. Whatever his real name was, it didn’t matter. It was as close as the universal translating machine could come to his real name, which was unpronounceable by human lips. I deleted ‘Jones’ because Louise Jones was working at Marvel, they had a Rick Jones in The Hulk, they had Indiana Jones at the time; there were too many Joneses floating around the Marvel Universe.” Walt would elaborate more at a Thor Spotlight panel at Baltimore Comic-Con (August 28, 2010), as reported by Matt McGloin of CosmicBookNews.com. “I had done a lot of stories and had a lot of fun doing them, but a lot of them weren’t groundbreaking,” walter simonson Simonson commented. “I did want to do something IF HE BE WORTHY © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. that hadn’t been done before though. Beta Ray Bill sprang from the mind of Walt Simonson, “One of the cool things about Thor was the enchantment around writer and artist of Thor, who rolled out the character in a four-issue adventure in issues #337–340 (Nov. 1983–Feb. 1984), in what would [the hammer] Mjolnir and the original inscription on it. So I thought, become Walt’s longest story arc at the time. ‘Well, that means someone else can pick up this hammer and get this In Jon B. Cooke’s interview the creator (“Walt Simonson Interviewed”) power if they’re worthy!’ Since then, some other big characters, in The Jack Kirby Collector #14 (June 2004), Simonson explained, people’s favorites, have picked up the hammer—Captain America, “I wanted to start fresh, and I thought a new character would be the Superman, whoever—but at this point, no one had ever picked up the way to go on that. My thinking was that comics are a short form, hammer. I liked the idea of Cap walking to the bathroom and seeing and one of the things that’s mostly true about comics is characters are it, and grabbing and just tugging, not being able to. So this had to be what they look like; the good guys are handsome, the bad guys are someone new. This is the most powerful weapon of the Norse gods.” ugly. It’s not always that way, but basically that’s what it is. Mjolnir, of course, is as significant to Thor’s history as is the Thunder “I designed Bill deliberately as a monster, because I knew that people God himself. would look at it and go, ‘Oh, my God, it’s this evil guy.’ I deliberately Simonson went on to explain the history of the hammer: “This wrote them so you weren’t sure in the beginning if he was a good guy or hammer is a killing weapon. It’s used to kill Frost Giants and others. a bad guy. His face was designed around a horse’s skull, partly because So Superman couldn’t pick it up, because he’s never going to kill anyone, horses are quite beautiful. I thought it’d be kind of cool to have the and the hammer knows that. Captain America, he’s too patriotic. Superhero Stand-Ins Issue • BACK ISSUE • 35

The 1980s were a decade of change for Marvel Comics, especially where their superheroes’ identities were concerned. A few of the more memorable changes were when Tony Stark was replaced by James “Rhodey” Rhodes as Iron Man, Magneto replaced Professor Charles Xavier as the leader of the X-Men, and Beta Ray Bill proved he was worthy to lift the hammer Mjolnir and wield the weapon of the Mighty Thor. In these cases, each replacement was a natural progression of the starring character, or the character showed they had what it took to replace the original. Rhodes had been a confidant of Stark prior to suiting up, and Magneto had been friends with Xavier prior to their divide on the questions of how to handle mutant/ human relations. While at the time Beta Ray Bill was a new creation by Walt Simonson, Bill had shown that he had what it takes to wield Mjolnir and to take possession of (albeit briefly) Thor’s mantle. However, this wasn’t the case when Steve Rogers quit the role of Captain America and was replaced by John Walker. Prior to this, Walker was the villainous Super-Patriot. Then, a strange thing happened: Not only did Walker go the heroic route even when Rogers returned to his role as the Sentinel of Liberty, but he became a mainstay of the Marvel Universe. Like Rhodey and Beta Ray Bill, Walker became a hero in his own right and remains one to this day. While Magneto’s conversion to the side of good led to a back-and-forth as opposed to a 180-degree change with the character, Walker’s change had him grow as a character and not revert to his previous ways. So, how did a villainous character take the place of one of America’s greatest heroes? Let’s look at John Walker’s origin, how his political ideology made him an interesting and engaging character, his time as Captain America and beyond, and a look at his continued development.

VILLAINOUS BEGINNINGS

Super-Patriot [not to be confused with the Marvel villain of the same name, from 1969’s Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13, or Erik Larsen’s Image Comics superhero SuperPatriot, first seen in 1992—ed.] was introduced in Captain America #323 (Nov. 1986), although his real name of John Walker wasn’t revealed until almost a year later. During this premiere issue, written by longtime Captain America scribe Mark Gruenwald (1953–1996) and drawn by Paul Neary and John Beatty, John Walker, clad as Super-Patriot, was in a limousine with his agent Ethan Thurm. When Thurm pointed out an old lady getting mugged, Walker chose not to stop the crime because it wasn’t glitzy enough to make headlines.

When Captains Clash Stand-in Captain America John Walker (right) vs. his star-spangled sparring partner, the original Captain America Steve Rogers, now the Captain (left), on the Kieron Dwyer/Al Milgrom cover to Captain America #350 (Feb. 1989). TM & © Marvel.

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by E

d Lute

Later in the issue, Super-Patriot held a rally in which he promoted himself as the future of the patriotic ideal, contending that Captain America was old news. During the rally, Super-Patriot was attacked by gunmen calling themselves the Buckies (Bold Urban Commandoes). Super-Patriot defeated the Buckies, although the attack had been staged and the Buckies were in actuality partners with Super-Patriot. The Buckies were Lemar Hoskins, Jerome “Jerry” Johnson, and Hector Lennox, although just like Walker, their real names weren’t given in this issue. Although Super-Patriot believed in America, his views were contrary to Steve Rogers’. During an April 1988 Wonderful World of Comics interview with Joe Field, Captain America writer and Super-Patriot co-creator Mark Gruenwald stated, “I had been doing symbolic characters, like Flag-Smasher, who represents anarchy, non-nationalism, and characters of that ilk. And I realized because Captain America was the good guy, it seemed to be saying that patriotism had to be good, because he was Captain America and he was the good guy. … I wanted to show the dark side of patriotism, so I invented the character Super-Patriot to show that.” Super-Patriot and the Buckies next appeared in Captain America #327 (Mar. 1987). This issue began with the Buckies attacking foreigners across the United States. In their first appearance, the Buckies wore masks like Captain America’s, emblazoned with the letter “A.” This time the Buckies had a “B” on their masks. After beating up a few foreigners, the Buckies got into Super-Patriot’s limo. Walker told them he wished he could have been with them, but his agent Thurm hadn’t completed the research to find out if most Americans would be in favor of their tactics or not. Captain America had been investigating the attacks on the foreigners, and it led him to Super-Patriot and the Buckies. Super-Patriot fought Captain America to a standstill.

THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT CAPTAIN AMERICA

Super-Patriot’s next appearance was in the classic issue Captain America #332 (Aug. 1987), written by Gruenwald and penciled by Tom Morgan, who replaced artist Paul Neary on the series. The Commission on Superhuman Activities had given Steve Rogers a choice to continue to work as Captain America under their authority, or to quit being Captain America. While Rogers was struggling with his decision, Super-Patriot defeated a terrorist atop the Washington Monument. The terrorist claimed he had a nuclear device that he was going to detonate. At the end of the issue, Rogers decided he didn’t want to work for the Commission, so he relinquished his Captain America role. Steve Rogers as Captain America had long been the patriotic hero of the Marvel Universe— even before there was a “Marvel Universe,” his history dating back to comics’ Golden Age and his first appearance occurring just before Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor led the United States into World War II. Later, throughout the Silver Age, Captain America was also the longtime guiding mark gruenwald force of the Mighty Avengers. Even though Rogers gave up being Captain America, he didn’t Illustration by quit his role as a superhero. He got a new David Banegas. costume and continued the fight as “The Captain.” While the idea of Rogers no longer being Captain America may have seemed radical in 1987, it wasn’t the first time this had happened. In the mid-1970s, writer Steve Engelhart had a disillusioned Steve Rogers hang up his red, white, and blue togs during the controversial “Secret Empire” storyline, beginning in Captain America #180 (Dec. 1974) [see BACK ISSUE #20—ed.]. Former Marvel Comics editor Ralph Macchio, who would take over Captain America from editor Dan Daley beginning with issue #335, tells BACK ISSUE, “Mark [Gruenwald] was a continuity guy. He wanted to experiment with Captain America, and I thought it was a great idea. Steve Engelhart first had Steve Rogers give up being Cap at the end of the ‘Secret Empire’ storyline. He became Nomad. This was our version of Steve Rogers giving up being Cap.”

The New Voice of America (top) Meet SuperPatriot—and the Buckies, from Captain America #323 (Nov. 1986). By Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary, and John Beatty. (bottom) Super-Patriot vs. Cap, on the Mike Zeck cover to issue #327 (Mar. 1987). TM & © Marvel.

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“Azrael – The angel of death in Jewish and Islamic thought…” – Merriam-Webster Dictionary The name Azrael is not a new one, but the character named Azrael made his first appearance in DC Comics’ Batman: Sword of Azrael four-part miniseries beginning in 1992. The co-creation of writer Denny O’Neil and penciler Joe Quesada, this avenging angel would very soon capture the attention of Batman and ultimately change the Dark Knight’s world.

THE AVENGING ANGEL APPEARS

The action begins immediately in issue #1 (Oct. 1992) when a figure dressed in classic medieval knight gear, wielding a flaming sword, is seen confronting one Carleton Lehah in his downtown Gotham City apartment with the words, “Know that men call you liar! Know that men call you betrayer! Know that men call you defiler! Therefore, it is the duty of the angel Azrael to bring you punishment!” Lehah, however, is prepared for this walking nightmare, firing several rounds from a pistol that send the self-proclaimed angel into a bloody heap on the floor. Azrael, however, strikes out savagely with the sword, damaging the eye of Lehah just before crashing through the terrace window and down to the street where a steed waits to spirit him away. Mortally wounded, the figure soon falls from the back of the horse and limps to a doorway with an alley access and a young, blond-haired man gasps, “Father!” Moments before dying on his son’s bed, the man instructs him to abandon his body and get the package he’s left in his son’s care. The man then breathes his last. Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne has taken an interest in the reports of an angel falling from the sky and disrupting a downtown parade. It was also notably near the penthouse apartment of Carleton Lehah, an underworld financier and dealer in exotic ammunition, such as armor-piercing Teflon bullets, and also involved in gunrunning. The young man, meanwhile, has followed his father’s instructions, finding in the package a telephone number, a large amount of currency, and a letter. The instructions in the letter lead him to fly to a small airfield in Switzerland and rendezvous with a driver, who delivers him to a tiny mountain village, where he is met by Nomoz, a small, gnome-like man dressed like a monk, who is to be his new teacher in an unnamed “system.” The training begins with some physical abuse by another man while Nomoz describes the preparations that will ensue, paving the way for the young man to replace his father in a secret organization dating to the 14th Century and that he shall be the new Azrael. The organization is described as the ancient order of St. Dumas. Back in Gotham City, the World’s Greatest Detective has been busy attempting to unravel the mystery of the fallen angel. Fieldwork indicates that the bullets used on him were coated with Teflon and he is able to find the lost sword of the angel, with an unfamiliar insignia on the blade’s handle. It is a match for the sigil Nomoz displays to the trainee with a depiction of St. Dumas. Nomoz further tells the young man that he has been receiving subliminal instruction since his earliest days at the hand of his late father and that it would seem to be the stuff of dreams, but when the sigil and proper suggestions are given to him, he instinctively responds to the next attack. The former graduate student at Gotham University is now a lethal force, ready for more indoctrination and training. It is further explained that he is the latest in a long line in his family to bear the mantle of Azrael. Segue to the Batman, calling upon Oracle to help in his search. With that assistance, our hero soon learns the origins of the order of St. Dumas. A splinter group from the Knights Templar, they were led by

There’s a New Bat in Town Bane gets what’s comin’ to him on Kelley Jones’ cover to Batman #500 (Oct. 1993), the newsstand variant. TM & © DC Comics.

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by B

ryan D. Stroud

a man named Dumas, fought in the Crusades, and took their substantial plunder and disappeared, perhaps to Switzerland. Bruce and Alfred then use the intelligence gleaned from surveillance of Lehah’s quarters to head to Lucerno, and hopefully to discover the secrets there. The journey, however, does not go as planned. Separately, Lehah, Nomoz, and the young recruit lie in wait, and when the helicopter bearing Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth are in range, an RPG is brought into play by Lehah, blowing the craft out of the sky. The duo survives, but their mission is put on hold while Bruce and Alfred become more concerned with their survival. The blast, meanwhile, has started an avalanche, which is being ridden out by the pupil and Nomoz in an underground shelter, fully stocked with foodstuffs and survival gear. The snow is not the only thing shaken loose. Lehah, aloft in his own helicopter, barely recovers from the shock waves and is convinced he’s been saved by the demon god called Biis, to whom he swears his undying fealty. Indeed, Lehah’s mental faculties are perhaps the last casualty of the carnage. As Wayne and Pennyworth begin to snowshoe their way out, a hovercraft appears, bearing both Nomoz and the successor to the mantle of Azrael. Nomoz orders the young man to don the costume and destroy the “demon” in the form of the Batman. Hand-to-hand combat ensues in the snow until Nomoz calls for Azrael’s retreat after he loses his sword and they depart in the hovercraft while Batman decides to investigate the shelter. We see that Nomoz holds a device to detonate the hidden explosives within, while the scene then shifts to reveal a new and improved Azrael costume that the gnome looks upon approvingly. (Azrael’s cape may have been somewhat reminiscent of Steve Ditko’s design for Hank Hall’s Hawk costume in The Hawk and the Dove, with its non-traditional, blade-like construction.) The young man asks his instructor to explain more about the Order and a brief history is offered, along with

a more in-depth understanding of the mission of Azrael, who is to take vengeance upon any who apostatize from the order, such as this case with Carleton Lehah. With a segue back to the shelter, the World’s Greatest Detective has discovered the explosives and the detonation system, which was fortunately thwarted by a loose wire, likely jarred from its connection by the explosion. Elsewhere, Nomoz and his young protégé are in search of the renegade Lehah and another member of the Order in a hospital. A showdown ensues as Lehah is there in the guise of Biis, but it appears the first battle casualty is the young man as he is blown out of the hospital window, and is soon discovered by the recently arrived Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Bruce takes advantage of his anonymity and leaps up into the room and begins to pursue Lehah, but ends up in a storage area containing ether and other chemicals of the medical trade, which are soon used to full advantage by Lehah. Our hero is captured while Alfred is forced by Nomoz to attend to the young man, who is battered, but very much alive after the assault by Lehah and the fall from the hospital window. An uneasy alliance is secured as the members of the order of St. Dumas and Alfred are united in their desire to locate Lehah and Bruce Wayne, respectively. They soon arrive at another member of the order’s home in England and Azrael, in full battle garb, is ready to challenge Lehah, who is

DC’s Punisher Azrael v.1, premiering in Batman: Sword of Azrael #1 (Oct. 1992), by Denny O’Neil, Joe Quesada, and Kevin Nowlan. Cover and page 1. TM & © DC Comics.

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