Today in Comics History, December 24, 1975: Happy birthday, Aztek!

Happy birthday, Aztek! Hope you survive the exper...oh. Oh, yeah.


from Aztek: The Ultimate Man #2 (DC, September 1996), text by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar

Today In Comics History, June 27, 1993: Anty Charity Event? What is this, a charity for ants?

from Aztek: The Ultimate Man #7 (DC, February 1997), script by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, pencils by N. Steven Harris, inks by Keith Champagne, colors by Mike Danza, letters by Clem Robins

Today in Comics History, June 19, 1996: Please check box "B" if you team-up with Owl-Man or are otherwise Inca hoots

text page from Aztek: The Ultimate Man #2 (DC, September 1996), text by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar

365 Days of Defiance, Day 235: Kobayashi Aztek

Yesterday I mentioned that Aztek's initiation into the JLA paralleled that classic ancient fable of the Kobayashi Maru, an unwinnable tactical situation in which we learn that how we face death is at least as important as how we face life. And with considerably more adrenaline! If Aztek's first day in the Justice League was the beginning of Star Trek II, then this issue of JLA is the climax of that movie, with considerably more superheroing and less "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN"ing.




Panels from JLA #41 (May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by Drew Geraci, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
Oh Aztek my Aztek, you were too good for this world — which you saved.

Thanks to the wonder of Grant Morrison, JLA #41 is actually chock-full o' moments of ultimate defiance. We'll look at another great one tomorrow.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 234: Highway to the Danger Room

Oh no! (he said, excitedly, because it's a Grant Morrison story and virtually anything could happen) The Justice League has been destroyed! By Darkseid! He's always pullin' that! Also, he's burning the American flag, so expect a stern rebuke from the right.



Panels from Aztek, The Ultimate Man #10 (May 1997), script by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, pencils by N. Steven Harris, inks by Keith Champagne, colors by Mike Danza, letters by Clem Robins
Now what are you going to do?!? No, this is not a Choose your Own Adventure story. (If you face Darkseid with a Mother Box, turn to page ten. If you escape back in time, turn to pahe 45. If you light a firecracker in Darkseid's pants, turn to page 906.) It's actually a dilemma for Aztek, the Pontiac mid-size the Ultimate Man! What will you do, Aztek, what will you do? (If you stab Darkseid with your pinty pointy helmet, turn to page 108.)


Surprise! It's all a Danger Room-style simulation overseen by the tactical master of the JLA (hold on, gotta turn my head and laugh a little)...Green Lantern. The Kyle Rayner version, with crab mask and all! Turns out this was part of the initiation test to join the Justice League (A), and Aztek's tactical plan has passed with flying colors. Other parts of the initiation test not shown here include tugging on Superman's cape, taking one punch from Batman, and going to all-you-can-eat night at Golden Corral with Wally.


The test is, in fact, a Kobayashi Maru of sorts. Unlike the real Starfleet thing, it is winnable — not by reprogramming the simulation, but by sheer force of the fact that nobody ever really dies in superhero comic books. These rules may not apply in dreams, imaginary stories (aren't they all?) or Elseworlds, but that's not because of the power of Aztek's conviction but rather of Warner Brothers merchandising.

Just as in Star Trek II, just like James T. Kirk with the glasses and all, this chapter of Aztek's short but illustrious career opens with a Kobayashi Maru test and ends not to soon after with him having to face the real deal. Join us tomorrow to see how we face death is at least as important as how we face life, Aztek.

Today in Comics History, June 13, 1996: Morrison and Millar prove you can fit over 500 words on one comics page

text pages from Aztek: The Ultimate Man #1 (DC, August 1996), text by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar