I consider myself fortunate that when I began reading comics, DC converted several titles to 100 pages. These were goldmines for classic Golden and Silver Age gems and classics. The new lead story, not so much. World's Finest #223 (My-Ju'74) introduced the most unexpected character. In fact there was even a Warning, and I quote: "Throughout comics history, there have been shocks and sensations galore! But we guarantee that the following amazing story is so startling, we never dared revealed it before!"
We, being writer Bob Haney (you see where this is going) and editor Murray Boltinoff, and dragging artist Dick Dillin into it. It starts with a serial murderer in Gotham City, dubbed the Boomerang Killer, as he uses two-pound metal boomerangs to slay his victims. Batman, without any clues is stymied, passes by Boston Brand's grave and gets Deadman's help to track down the BK. Before this can turn into a Brave & Bold story, Morgan Edge sends Clark Kent to cover the BK news to get ratings. So Superman arrives in Gotham and saves several people from the BK who always escapes.
Batman and Deadman track down a clue that leads to a mental institution where Batman is shocked to find out that the man he's pursuing is....... (SPOILER ALERT).....Thomas Wayne......Junior! He is the older brother of Bruce who suffered a head trauma as an infant that left him brain-damaged and a danger to society.
Superman becomes suspicious that Batman is protecting the BK by destroying evidence. He confronts Bats, unaware of Deadman's prescence and learns the truth. Superman decides to nab this guy but Batman has Deadman possess the Man of Steel. Batman then tries to reason with his unstable sibling, only to get clobbered by a boomerang. Somewhere Digger Harkness is smiling!
Deadman as Superman tries to smash in, only to find out his ghostly being has negated Supes' powers. Just then someone tries to destroy the building Batman is in. Deadman leaves Superman who saves the day. Batman reveals the true villain and motive, as is his wont, and proclaims his psychotic brother a victim and pawn. That should make the families of the four people he killed feel much better.
Anyhoo, Thomas Jr escapes but under the control of Deadman who justifies it to keep him from harming others and giving him a new life!
Wow! I wonder if Denny O'Neil or Julius Schwartz knew about this! My first WF featured the Super-Sons, my second...this. Is it any wonder why I like a little continuity?
Oh, and wait, there IS a sequel!!
Replies
Oh and I guess Superman told the world about these future heroes. Oddly enough, he always lamented about Mon-El being trapped in the Phantom Zone and yet he had a statuette of him as a Legion member from his Superboy days!
"The Reversed Heroes" was a cool reprint too with Elton Craig who finds Jor-El's super-power pills(???) and goes on a crime spree wearing a mask, though everyone knows it's him, and little purple shorts!
The Deadman, Aquaman and Robotman stories made this issue an eclectic mix!
For me, that would be the Dev-Em story reprinted in Superboy #177, still among my very favorite LSH stories ever!
Superman is annoyed by Batman's lack of focus as they meet in an office they rented to co-ordinate their plans. Too bad they don't have cool bases of their own! Anyway, the story has Batman confronted dueling stuntmen, ala Evel Kievel, searching for Deadman's new identity. He finds him as Daredevil Devlin who DOES resemble Marvel's DD! By a wondrous and time-saving coincidence, the other stuntman, Marko the Magnificent is the brains behind the "gold flood"! That's one way to tie a story together, not a good way but a way!
The major loose end is closed when Thomas sacrifices himself to save Batman, even though he has no idea they're brothers. So Batman has his dramatic moment and Deadman hits the ghostly trail again. Would it surprise anyone to know that neither story was ever reprinted nor even mentioned again!
There were another great mix of reprints of the Vigilante, Martian Manhunter and Rip Hunter-Time Master as well as a classic Superman/Batman adventure rifed with references to the Batman TV show!
It seems his project is to include all the elements of previous stories, even the completely whacko stuff, as here.
Please give me the issues of the current series where you saw ythis because I missed it completely!
This is another coincidence of crossing over threads! It's starting to get scary!
Figserello said:
More here: http://comics.ign.com/articles/950/950703p5.html
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