365 Days of Defiance, Day 238: Teach your children well

Panels from Journey into Mystery (2011 series) #630 (December 2011), script by Kieron Gillen, pencils and inks by Richard Elson, colors by Jessica Kholinne, letters by Clayton Cowles

365 Days of Defiance, Day 237: Yipes! Stripes!

Sometimes defiance is simply refusing to do what "The Man' tells you to, and to heck with the consequences.


"Park Lark" from Reggie's Wise Guy Jokes #14 (August 1970), creators uncredited

365 Days of Defiance, Day 236: Spartacus in Heaven

Also in JLA #41, source of yesterday's big Aztek moment — that's a big moment for Aztek, not a moment when Aztek suddenly became giant, like Apache Chief. But wouldn't that have been cool?

Anyway, here's where Hawkman Zuriel actually convinces the angels of the Shining City to stand with him and defend Earth from Mageddon. Hey, how'd he get back to Heaven to do this? He let himself die in the previous issue. Now that's commitment.



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
How awesome is JLA #41? So awesome that there's even another great scene of defiance in it. Yeah, you know the one I mean. It's so epic, I'm gonna save it until December. Don't forget to come back then and every day in between because I'm really trying to catch up, honest.

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.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 233: Doomsday

It's easy to overlook the accomplishments of the Distinguished Competition in the 1960s, when Marvel's House of Ideas was outpacing DC at nearly every step in storytelling and art. But I think one of the most groundbreaking stories of the late '60s, and one frequently overlooked when summing up the most powerful moments in comics, is the end of Doom Patrol #121:


Panels from Doom Patrol (1964 series) #121 (September-October 1968), script by Arnold Drake, pencils and inks by Bruno Premiani, letters by Ben Oda
Madame Rouge and Captain Zahl have already killed Monsieur Mallah (intelligent talking ape villain) and his hetero life-partner The Brain (a...er...brain on wheels), so you know they mean business when they trap the Original Doom Patrol on a island, zap away their powers, and offer them an ultimatum with a two-minute deadline to decide who will die: the population of Codsville, Maine! Population 14, most popular dish: Cod-on-a-Stick. (I'm not making that part up, though its canonicity is disputed.)


Well, what did you THINK the Doom Patrol was going to say? They choose death to save the people of Codsville. So how do you think they're going to escape this deathtrap?


Whoa. They...they didn't.

There's a lot of heroes in comics who have sacrificed themselves to save humanity — The Flash, Phoenix, Ultimate Spider-Man, even Superman...but I think the Doom Patrol were the first. And remember this: it was during an age where the revolving doors had not yet been installed on the afterlife, where dead pretty much meant dead. Sure, DC could have revealed the next month that the Doom Patrol had burrowed themselves to safety, or used time travel, or clones, or robots (well, aside from Robotman)...any number of quick escape tricks that comics would turn into cliches for still being alive or returning from the dead.

But they didn't. Dead meant dead in that, and the Doom Patrol was really dead. Their ultimate act of defiance became the greatest sacrifice of all.

And who was to blame? Zahl? Madame Rouge? The Monitor, who I presume was watching all this and marking down in his little book that when the Crisis came, he'd have to grab the DP from 1967 instead? Nope! To paraphrase a classic rock 'n' roll song that was being recorded probably just around the time the Patrol kicked their mutual buckets:

I shouted out, "Who killed the Doom Patrol?"
When after all, it was you and me

J'accuse! says Doom Patrol creator and destroyer Arnold Drake directly at us, beating Buddy Baker to that trick by 22 years. I'mma gonna assume that in the background artist Bruno Premiani isn't quite as accusatory of you and me, or, at least, those of us who are named Charlie.


It's kind of late to be blaming us for not buying the book, but that's the general tone of DC's final column in this final ish of Doom Patrol. The snarky last panel and this editorial kind of haunt the otherwise pitch-perfect ending of the team; DC of the period frequently took that tone with its readers, which I imagine is one of the reasons the friendly, cheerful, buddy-tones of Stan Lee were more popular during this period.


In the end, like every comic book hero except Bucky Barnes and Uncle Ben, the Doom Patrol "got better." Robotman was back when an all-new Doom Patrol premiered in the pages of Showcase '77, Negative Man returned after a stint of being replaced with a Negative Woman (no MRA jokes, guys), and the Chief just rolled along back to have his beard hunted (again, actual canon!). Even Elasti-Girl showed up once more in the movie The Incredibles a John Byrne series that existed mainly to wipe out the world of Grant Morrison.

But for a moment, in their final moment of defiance, these four heroes gave up their lives without hesitation to save not even the world, but fourteen people they never knew. And the world wept for them, and honored them. We salute you: Niles Caulder, Rita Farr, Larry Trainor, Cliff Steele: the Doom Patrol.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 232: We will live or die on our feet, with your boot no longer on our necks

Panels from East of West #33 (May 2017), script by Jonathan Hickman, pencils and inks by Nick Dragotta, colors by Frank Martin, letters by Rus Wooton

365 Days of Defiance, Day 231: With a rebel yell, he cried, you're not stopping this ship

At last Luke Skywalker is up against an Imperial who has more sense and fighting abilities than the usual misshooting Stormtrooper: Sergeant Kreel, the guy so bad he's named after a fishing basket. Will Luke give up the rebel spirit against Kreel?


Panels from Star Wars (2015 Marvel series) #25 (January 2017); script by Jason Aaron, pencils and inks by Jorge Molina, colors by Matt Milla, letters by Joe Caramagna
Heck no. Not in a Star Wars story! Well, one published by Marvel at least.


Say, what sort of grade do you think Sergeant Kreel will get for his performance review by his boss>

365 Days of Defiance, Day 230: Your decisions turn around and make you back and then you're stuck

Panel from Batman/Hellboy/Starman #1 (January 1999), script by James Robinson, pencils and inks by Mike Mignola, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Willie Schubert
A very special Bullish thank you to Magnificent Matt Rowbotham, who suggested and identified this panel for me!

365 Days of Defiance, Day 229: Frank Castle, Vampire Hunter

So What If...? the Punisher armed with Doctor Strange's Cloak of Levitation was fighting evil vampire X-Men. What then, huh?


Panels from What If...? (1989 series) #24 (April 1991); script by Roy Thomas, Jean-Marc Lofficier, and Randy Lofficier; pencils and inks by Tom Morgan; colors by Tom Vincent; letters by Janice Chiang
The 1990s! There was no concept too high for that decade to embrace!

Seriously, do spray vampires with holy water.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 228: Tonight, don't watch that guy, watch this guy: Captain America!

from Captain America #702 (Marvel, July 2018), script by Mark Waid, pencils and inks by Howard Chaykin, colors by Jesus Aburtov, letters by Joe Caramagna

Namor vs. Fake News

Panel from The Avengers (1963 series) #287 (January 1988), plot by Roger Stern, script by Ralph Macchio, breakdowns by John Buscema, finishes by Tom Palmer, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Bill Oakley

Today in 365 Days of Comics Defiance History, Day 228, August 16, 1781: You Say You Want a Revolution

cover of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7 (Marvel, March 1999), pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by Roger Langridge
Wha...? you might say in astounded, be-baffled disbelief. I'm with ya on that front! Captain America in 1781? Is this a dream, an imaginary story, or a hoax? Is it a what-if or an elseworlds or an infinities or a deviation? It is a Red Skull-changed alternate reality? Is it a comic book? (It's a comic book.) Here's the story of a lovely lady of the Steve Rogers of 1776, complete with timely mullet. He's always copying nineties-era Superman! While discussing politics and quaffing ale out of golden tankards at his local replica Revolutionary War-era Charles Cheese Inn, Steve's alerted by 1776 Foggy Nelson (or maybe it's just ponytailed Bucky Barnes) that the Declaration of Independence has been signed! Huzzah! Three day holiday weekend, woo!

Today in Comics History, August 16, 1943: Happy (other*) birthday, Alfred Pennyworth!

from Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five (2015 series) #26 (DC digital, June 2016), script by Brian Buccellato, pencils and inks by Mike S. Miller, colors by J. Nanjan, letters by Wes Abbott
*However, this comic is non-canonical, what with it's Joker-killin' and Superman-baddenin'. And the Pre-Crisis Alfred had his birthday on April 8. So, when he actually celebrates is anybody's guess! Somebody codfiy it into a story, won'tcha? (Me, I only celebrate Alfred's birthday on April 8!)


from Super DC Calendar 1976 (DC, 1975), letters by Ben Oda

365 Days of Defiance, Day 227: Willkommen, Bienvenue, Batman

What If...? (©1976 a completely different company) Bruce Wayne had become a hero in the Berlin, Germany of 1939? Well, he would be millionreichsmark playjunge Baruch Wane...but at night he would oppose the Nazi government as The Berlin Batman!


Panel from The Batman Chronicles #11 (Winter 1998); script, pencils, and inks by Paul Pope; colors by Ted McKeever; letters by Ken Lopez
This Batman fights not merely against crime but also the clampdown on intellectualism and artistry. Here he is fighting to prevent writings from a dissident Jewish economist (stored on a train) from falling into the hands of the Nazis. And when you've got actual Nazis, who needs the Joker?



By the way, that's Komissar Garten in the green trench coat. "You're only one man, what can you do?" taunts Garten. Why, he doesn't know Der Batman very well at all, does he?



And now you know about the legend of the Berlin Batman. In the heart of evil, may we all be so brave and dedicated.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 226: Marvel the Vote

It's Local Election Time in the Ms. Marvel Universe! And, you know, I never realized she had that gauntlet only on her left wrist. You learn something new every day!


from Ms. Marvel (2016 series) #13 (Marvel, January 2017), script by G. Willow Wilson, pencils and inks by Mirka Andolfo, colors by Ian Herring, letters by Joe Caramagna
Like, f'r instance, Ms. Marvel learning that some people just have ass-stupid reasons for not voting.


That's why it pays to know the facts. And here's where The Divine Ms. M. explains it all for you, debunking common misconceptions about voting. For instance, did you know it doesn't say anywhere in the rulebook that a stuffed bull can't be President? (looks in rulebook, notices it does say that. Oh well.) Anyway, for her attention to detail and knowledge with a capital K-N, they oughta call her Ms. Snopes!



So make sure you are registered to vote! Even if you voted last year, double-check it! And if you're not, you can register to vote right now so you'll be ready for the local, state, and national elections coming up. Learn and know your rights, your candidates, and your time and place to vote. Get involved and get the word out!

It's a Switch-a-Roo!

Panels from Daredevil (1964 series) #264 (March 1989), script by Ann Nocenti, breakdowns by Steve Ditko, pencils by Mike Manley, inks by Al Williamson and Mike Manley, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Joe Rosen
and from Angel Love #1 (August 1986); script and pencils by Barbara Slate, inks by John William Lopez, colors by Bob LeRose, letters by Bill Yoshida

Today in Comics History, August 14, 1893: Excuse me, I have a little dust in my eye

from Back to the Future (IDW series) #11 (IDW, August 2016), story by John Barber and Bob Gale, script by John Barber, pencils by Marcello Ferreira and Athila Fabbio, inks by Marcello Ferreira, Athila Fabbio, and Toni Doya, colors by Jose Luis Rio, letters by Shawn Lee

365 Days of Defiance, Day 225: Not many people know his first name is Philadelphia

Panels from the Captain Freedom story in Speed Comics #13 (Harvey, May 1941), pencils and inks by Arturo Cazeneuve

365 Days of Defiance, Day 224: Silver Nemesis

If you're Ryan Choi, the All New Atom, you need to remember your Survival Guide to Sub-Atomic Hell ABCs:

Always
Be
Continually Punching Jet-Pack Hitler



Panels from The All New Atom #14 (October 2007), script by Gail Simone, pencils by Mike Norton, inks by Trevor Scott, colors by Alex Bleyaert, letters by Travis Lanham
Of course, while Atom's kickin' Hitler's flying ass, Ted "Blue Beetle" Kord has his own target already picked out: