Also, here’s the complete Who’s This? for this issue:

Who’s Sabbac?
http://siskoid.blogspot.ca/2014/06/whos-sabbac.html

Who’s Scalphunter?
http://siskoid.blogspot.ca/2014/07/whos-scalphunter.html

The Disposables!

Obviously that’s just the book’s title; the team would need a different name inside the comic, like the Danger Guard or something. But I’m talking about a team made up entirely of characters who could die without really being missed by the readers. And die they would. That would be the hook to keep bringing the readers back: At least one team member would die in every issue. No telling who, or at what point in the book (sometimes it would be on the first page). The key would be to get a writer who could consistently come up with creative and violent deaths, but who either had no interest in or no talent for characterization. I’m sure a few names will come to your minds. After all, the last thing we’d want is for somebody to find an angle to make these characters compelling; that would spoil our enjoyment of watching them die.

As for the roster, Northwind is a no-brainer. So is Ryand’r, Prince Ra-Man, and every member of the Forever People. Quislet travels to the past so we can watch it buy the farm. Likewise, Flying Fox from Young All-Stars travels forward in time, or just ages slowly, or whatever. We’re going to need a big list of recruits if we want to keep the body count rising, so I’ll throw the floor open for suggestions.

I also love seeing Art Adams any chance I can get, so his Scarecrow page is a treat as well. Just the right amount of atmospheric creepiness in the surprint.

I’m not sure there were more Itty stories to tell, but god bless Mr. Jones for trying.

Frank, you are right about it being lonely at the bottom, but I’m thrilled that there are still some of y’all around to comment on my goofy thoughts.

Speaking of goofiness, I just finished up with the first issue of the new Forever People comic and, apart from some unnecessary gender swapping, it is a fairly worthy successor to King Kirby’s original stories. I hope you all read it and learned how awesome these characters are.

And Phylemon, you’re welcome to the last spot, it’s lonely at the bottom.

>damn<

Phylemon, I am well familar with that *, but I still can’t tell you what S.T.A.R. stands for off the top of my head. I also mix up the two main meanings of S.H.I.E.L.D. (“Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Law Enforcement Division.”) The only one I’m confident in is The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves.

I don’t think Mockingbird’s identity was revealed until Action Comics Weekly, and I believe it was a bone of contention among original fans.

Itty turned up a few times during Gerard Jones run on Green Lantern.

My bet is that Sarge Steel’s hat is a late addition to the cover, as without it the body language between Sarge and Shimmer is a little too Domestic-abusey for 80’s sensibilities.

A handful of entry comments:

1. There are a handful of series that I actively collected in my youth and managed to complete. Who’s Who (obviously), Booster Gold, Giffen’s JLI, Blue Devil, anything with Ambush Bug, Wolfman /Perez Teen Titans (or as I prefer to call it, Jericho and his Amazing Friends), and finally Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew. The latter I bought as a complete set the first time I walked into a comic shop. I read the whole set over an awesome summer week at the beach. Man, I miss my childhood!

2. Sandman I- It just isn’t an 80’s DC comic without a large, mostly magenta, piece of artwork. The logo is very nice, but I’ve just never seen the real appeal of the character. I’ve never read the Sandman Mystery Theater (anything that is loved by that many people just has to suck), so maybe reading that would change my opinion, although I doubt it.

3. Sargon the Sorcerer- Sargon is the kind of magic hero that I like and see far too little of nowadays. Instead of being used as a sort of Deus Ex Machina, Sargon’s power is fairly limited and defined. He could, in affect, animate inanimate objects. At this point at least, he isn’t a cosmic level sort of guy like The Spectre or Phantom Stranger. All in all, an interesting character that I’d like to read more about.

4. I’m not sure I like any piece of art in this issue better than the expression on Chameleon Boy’s floating head in the Saturn Queen entry. Great Jurgen’s art.

5. The foreground image of Scarecrow is pretty phenomenal, but I’m not in love the surprint. I do agree with Shag that I apparently don’t know as much about Scarecrow as I thought I did.

6. The Scavenger’s surprint looks like it would be awesome if I were wearing 3D glasses. The red and blue that went into making the purple color is offset in my copy.

7. I assume you are making a reference to it, but I’m not sure that I owned a comic in the 80’s that didn’t include at least one asterisk directing me to a footnote caption box explaining what S.T.A.R. stood for. Someone in editorial REALLY thought that the acronym was genius.

8. I’ve recently acquired several of The Sea Devils original adventures. I completely agree with Rob that the Russ Heath artwork is breath taking, although I will say that I find the stories very enjoyable in that simple Silver Age way.

9. I purchased the original Secret Six stories a few months ago but haven’t read them yet. Thanks for not spoiling the big reveal.

10. Sensor Girl- You really don’t see Ben-Day dots used often enough anymore. Sensor Girl’s costume is cooler than she is, kind of like when my cool aunt would buy me school clothes for Christmas. I wonder what thought went into who would get the dual color surprints, because they always pop.

11. I’ve managed to get a couple of volumes of the Sgt. Rock archives, and those stories are just awesome. There is mention of his being a boxer in those early stories. I believe it is the explanation for why he is called “The Rock”, because his opponents would pound on him but couldn’t knock him down. Obviously the easier explanation for his nickname was that Rock was his last name, but I think the story in question predates the character being called anything other than “Sarge.”

12. Finally, the kapow moment of the comic: The Forever Person Serifan! I would buy a Serifan / Pariah / Jericho crossover all day long! Great pitch, Rob!

13. I own a trade with the Ditko Shade the Changing Man series. Every time I read this entry, it affirms my decision not to crack it open. It gives me tired head, although I’m sure I will read through it at least once before it is all said and done.

14. I think one of the morals of the Who’s Who series is that Kenner did not make nearly enough Super Powers figures. As a kid, I use to have a reoccurring dream that I had Super Powers figures of all the characters in Who’s Who. Shadow Lass would have been an excellent addition to the line.

15. It may be blasphemy, but the Shadow Thief artwork is the superior Kubert entry in this issue. Joe might be most closely associated with Sgt. Rock, but Carl Sands is the standout here.

16. The “Young” Shazam costume in the surprint is killer. VLAREM, by the way, is just a lazy anagram for Marvel.

17. Shimmer still creeps me out a little. One of the clearest comics memories I have is of the Fearsome Five coming around to mess up Cyborg’s attempt to look more human in Tales of the Teen Titans #56-57, and the cliffhanger of 56 has Shimmer trapping Wonder Girl in a wall she creates out of thin air. I was left with the impression that she was just so dangerous and nearly impossible to beat (of course issue 57 would prove me wrong there, but the impression stuck). I still love the Fearsome Five and think of them as the near perfect arch enemies for the Titans.

Off of the top of my head, I don’t think Binky (DC’s Archie Andrews), Green Lantern’s pet Itty, or Jonni DC (all characters seen in Ambush Bug #3) have had comebacks in the modern DC universe. Egg Fu most definitely had one, though.

I’m glad that I was able to give you something to think about with my Question comment, Shag. It is all part of my master plan to get you to come around to my way of thinking.

Anyway, another great show, I really wish it were weekly. Mind, this comment won’t apply when you go to Star Trek, I’ve no interest in that as podcast fodder. And as Frank says – I think I’ve said it previously too – renaming the podcast is a terrible idea, and if you do it you’ll be cursing your descendants ever more.

I don’t care how Ra’s al Ghul is pronounced, all I hear is zzzzzzz. And the Sensei is ever less exciting.

I read a lot of Scalphunter, they were great little tales. And I don’t think he ever shared a book with Jonah Hex, Frank, he simply took his spot in Weird Western. While James Robinson extended his place in DC history via the stupid O’Dare and Balloon Buster and Star Boy business (how I HATE reincarnation), his DC connections go back in the other direction – Brian Savage aka Scalphunter was the son of Matt Savage, Trail Boss from Western Comics. Mind, I think Robinson references this too. So you may know.

Perhaps the reason he didn’t really scalp people was that the Scalphunter name was a late addition; I believe the strip was originally going to be called The Savage. Dunno why it was changed, perhaps someone had a moment of sensitivity – not that Scalphunter is much better.

Kyle, I like Alex Saviuk too, but darn you for making me look at his Facebook page and seeing how old he is now – to me he’s the lucky kid who’s taking over GL/GA from Mike Grell.

I see why you’re puzzled by the non-incorporation of the classic Sgt Rock logo, but Kubert did occasionally go freeform and draw it in the art. A few examples are here:

http://www.comics.org/series/2381/covers/?page=2

Now, anyone for a few verses of Sgt Rock (is going to help me)?