60 WEEKS WITH THE JUSTICE LEAGUE: Week 15

Justice League International #15
July ‘88
“Gnort and South!”
Giffen: plot, breakdowns
DeMatteis: script
Leialoha: pencils
Gordon: inks
Lappan: letters
D’Angelo: colors
Helfer: manual override


After threatening the destruction of the Earth last issue, Lord Manga turns tail when it becomes apparent that fighting the world’s heroes will cost more than its worth.


This issue really feels like filler while waiting for Maguire’s return to penciling duties. However, it does leave Mr. Miracle stranded aboard Manga’s spaceship, causing Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, Big Barda and Gnort to take off in pursuit. Meanwhile, Guy Gardner peaced out from the League’s close encounter in favor of asking Batman to be more active with the League.


Woof.



The complete 60 Weeks with the Justice League on The Danger Digest:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14


All images this post copyright DC Comics. Text copyright Jon D. Witmer/The Danger Digest.

60 WEEKS WITH THE JUSTICE LEAGUE: Week 14

Justice League International #14
June ‘88
“Shop … or Die”
Keith Giffen: plot & breakdowns
J.M. DeMatteis: script
Steve Leialoha: pencils
Al Gordon: inks
Bob Lappan: letters
Gene D’Angelo: colors
Andrew Helfer: editor


This time around, a planet-devouring spaceship ruled by the evil Lord Manga threatens to destroy the Earth if its inhabitants don’t agree to an ill-defined barter system. With Batman and Black Canary both tied up elsewhere, the short-staffed League just might need Fire and Ice’s help after all, but we the readers are left to believe that our planet’s last best hope is none other than Gnort.


While I unabashedly love Steve Leialoha’s inks on Fables, his pencils here leave a lot to be desired, and DeMatteis’ script relies heavily on a long series of jokes that almost all fall flat. I won’t lie: This issue struck me as a dud. Here’s looking forward to issue 16, when at least Kevin Maguire will be back on pencils.



The complete 60 Weeks with the Justice League on The Danger Digest:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #15


All images this post copyright DC Comics. Text copyright Jon D. Witmer/The Danger Digest.

Something Random: A Coloring Contest!

So, here's a story (of sorts): I check my email today and lo and behold, there's a message that makes reference to my brief little writeup of Michael Kupperman's Tales Designed to Thrizzle. "Who out there is actually reading The Danger Digest?" I wondered aloud. Turns out, it's none other than writer, gentleman, provocateur and man-about-town Patrick Wensink, who kindly asked me to run the following announcement:

Patrick Wensink recently decided there’s only one way to celebrate the release of his book, Sex Dungeon for Sale!--and that's by holding a coloring contest.

Accordingly, he had a series of illustrations created based on some of the book’s stories, including a Kindergartener who thinks he’s French, a puddle of ketchup shaped like Elvis, and something called “Chicken Soup for the Kidnapper’s Soul.”

Adding to the excitement, Wensink is offering the winner an autographed stack of his favorite books from 2009, which are:

Tales Designed to Thrizzle by Michael Kupperman

Fool by Christopher Moore

AM/PM by Amelia Gray

Help! A Bear is Eating Me! by Mykle Hansen

The contest ends December 14. For all the details visit www.patrickwensink.com/randomness

There you have it, dear readers. Stop whatever work you're doing and bust out your crayons. And Patrick, thanks for reading!

Post-Holiday Distraction...

...courtesy of Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler.


Alfred's ribald shenanigans from the Batman and Robin newspaper strip, originally published Wednesday, September 27, 1944. Written by Alvin Schwartz (under the pen name Vernon Woodrum), penciled by Jack Burnley, inked and embellished by Charles Paris and lettered by Ira Schnapp. Scanned from the book Batman: The Dailies 1943-1946, published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., by arrangement with DC Comics.

60 WEEKS WITH THE JUSTICE LEAGUE: Week 13

Justice League International #13
May ‘88
“Collision Course”
Giffen: plot & pencils
DeMatteis: script
Gordon: inks
Lappan: letters
D’Angelo: colors
…fer: editor


Keith Giffen steps in for penciling duties in an issue that was clearly aimed at boosting sales of Suicide Squad; the whole shebang ends in a cliffhanger that wraps up in issue 10 of the other title. By now it’s probably needless to say I won’t be reading that, so we’ll just have to catch as catch can.


Nevertheless, and excepting the straight-up lousy cover, Giffen’s art suits the book well. And since he’s been providing page breakdowns since the beginning, there’s a uniformity to the layouts that helps connect this issue to the previous 12.


Apropos of nothing--or at least not much--the letter column ends with editor Mark Waid saying that “the Canary indeed departed from the League,” even though she’s in this issue. Since I’m not totally steeped in the DCU circa 1988, I can’t be positive of this, but I think that just might’ve been a spoiler.



The complete 60 Weeks with the Justice League on The Danger Digest:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #14, #15


All images this post copyright DC Comics. Text copyright Jon D. Witmer/The Danger Digest.