I was also wondering about the break audio, but simply shrugged my shoulders and went right back to mowing the lawn.

And, yes, y’all. Zuh-VEE-shuh. It’s not everyone who is born into easy to pronounce last names, like Kelly and Matthews.

Unlike Shagg, I love these issues… And I haven’t read them yet! Robb and Doug have an infectious enthusiasm for these issues, and I’m determined to track them down. In fact I’d like to read Conway’s entire run.

Otherwise, fun episode. Count me in on the side that appreciates recapping for the uninitiated, and frankly would like to see more of that in modern comics (along with the return of 23 or more pages).

Yeah, come to think of it (responding to Frank’s puzzlement as to why Red Tornado was featured on the F&WP), I think a little more in-depth look at the Elemental War would have been appropriate, since Red Tornado was a legit guest star for four straight issues of Firestorm. Plus, it would give Shag a chance to wax eloquent about the Elemental period of Firestorm, since he’s the only person in the world who liked it.

(Just kidding. Sort of.)

Otherwise, fun episode. Count me in on the side that appreciates recapping for the uninitiated, and frankly would like to see more of that in modern comics (along with the return of 23 or more pages).

Yeah, come to think of it (responding to Frank’s puzzlement as to why Red Tornado was featured on the F&WP), I think a little more in-depth look at the Elemental War would have been appropriate, since Red Tornado was a legit guess star for four straight issues of Firestorm. Plus, it would give Shag a chance to wax eloquent about the Elemental period of Firestorm, since he’s the only person in the world who liked it.

(Just kidding. Sort of.)

2. Zah-veesh-ah: Most phonetically discordant name since Sin-kev-itch.

3. I learned to swim kind of late (5-6 y.o.) after a sorta-but-not-really-drowny experience. After training to develop this new power of aquatic motion, I sometimes imagined myself as Aquaman, but mostly leaned toward a Namor lift of my own devising (that happened to create water-hadouken like in the Aquaman cartoon.) You’d have thought I’d have incorporated my old water wings in there somehow, but no. I did use a towel as a cape, though.

4. Out of curiosity, I compared the attendances of Motor City Con and Houston’s young Comicpalooza, and Doug can take heart that his city’s con bested mine by 10,000 people. Next year may be a different story, though.

5. Rob’s Legion hate (indifference really) may be overstated, but we don’t talk enough about his anti-Marvel bigotry, clearly on a par with Scipio Garling (now there would be an amazing, galling podcast guest.) John Beatty is Mike Zeck’s inker of choice, which meant Beatty was too busy inking Captain America, Secret Wars and The Punisher (not to mention Michael Golden on The ‘Nam) to do much DC work in the ’80s. Beatty switched partners to Kelly Jones in the ’90s, embellishing all of Jones’ Batman work, as well as pinch hitting on Superman books. I really enjoy Beatty’s inks on the right artist, meaning guys with bold, confident lines without a bunch of crosshatching or feathering. Beatty was definitely better than his contemporary Romeo Tanghal when working over Perez, but that’s damning with faint praise, because neither had any aptitude for Perez’s intricacies.

6. It took me a long time to appreciate Dick Dillin, and I’d still rather not look at Don Heck or George Tuska on JLA. By comparison, Perez’s JLA issues are a joy to look at, but they in no way compete with virtually anything else Perez has done before or since. I mocked Perez’s Crimson Plague in a previous podcast commentary, but it destroys this comic as a display of craft. I simply don’t want to read Perez creations over seeing him interpret the iconic heroes he does so well. I’m sorry to say, but the editorial team at DC Comics were idiots for not getting a top-of-the-line artist on JLA when Super Friends was on the air. On the rare instances I could find an issue as a kid, I’d be attracted by a swell Perez cover, then invariably put it back when I looked at the atrocious interiors. Then I’d go read an X-Men comic for a decade or so instead.

7. What is the deal with Perez succeeding Dillin? I understand Dillin died of a heart attack, and Perez didn’t want to get his dream book under such tragic circumstances, but is that all there was to it? It seems like an overreaction, if so.

8. One of my favorite comic creators of all time is Jim Starlin, who literally ran down continuity flashbacks in every issue of every comic he did in the ’70s and ’80s. I loved him for it, because if I missed an issue or came in late on a series, I could rely on Starlin to get me up to speed so I could thoroughly enjoy the story in front of me. That said, Starlin typically put all that stuff at the front of the issue, so if you were already familiar, you just skipped those pages and dove into the latest chapter. I think Shag’s complaint, which I share, is that all the Morrow/Reddy continuity slog is laced throughout the narrative like chunks of fat in an otherwise fine steak. Ever been in a restaurant, gotten one of those fat globs, and tried to either spit it into your napkin or swallow it whole? It’s disgusting, and the only way to avoid it is to skip the dish altogether.

9. Worst mid-show break ever. Even worse than Rob’s silent treatment punishment episode. At least then I knew what the hell was going on.

10. The Red Tornado mini-series was another heinous bait-and-switch on art. The house ad (clearly and necessarily inked by Klaus Janson) was intriguing, and then the book itself looked like ca-ca-doody. It never fails to irritate me when I see a strong penciller like Gil Kane marred by excessive inking, whereas Carmine Infantino desperately needed heavy embellishing help he didn’t receive nearly enough.

11. How about the overwrought explanation as to how T.O. Morrow survived some forgettable appearances in books like Super-Team Family, but no reference is made to what his dumb ass was thinking sending two inferior Red Tornado duplicates to the satellite headquarters of the seven mightiest super-heroes in the world. The duo admittedly does well, but why not send ten, instead? If the goal was to kill the JLA, why not murder Green Lantern, Firestorm and Aquaman while they’re knocked out and isolated? If the goal was not to kill the JLA, why didn’t T.O. Morrow walk right into prison and get the inevitable over with? Why is Red Tornado still susceptible to Morrow’s mind control, anyway? Get the Atom in there to root that stuff out.

12. It’s novel in the year 2013 how the hi-tech Red Tornado of 1981 was running around with an extension cord in his hollow chest cavity. He’s like the rotary phone of androids.

13. #193 was Aquaman’s Afro Ninja moment. Such a great build up, only to get punked by T.O. Mahgod.

14. Red Tornado’s ridiculous, convoluted origin is the antithesis of all that is good and right in comics. I swear by all that is holy, if I ever get the chance, I will destroy John Smith once and for all and rebuild the Red Tornado as something better, which would include a chunky housefrau in overalls with a pan on her head. At least Ma Hunkle inspired some semblance of positive emotions when she appeared.

I got Perez to sign the 192 cover for me at last year’s NYC Con.