I was just thinking...
DC has announced their new 52 third wave for the fall, including the return of Amethyst. When they get to the fourth wave, next winter, I think that a new Isis series would be pretty cool. She was a great character in JSA and 52.
What was her original series like in 1976? I doubt it will ever come out in tpb due to licensing issues. Is it worth picking up as back issues?
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According to the GCD the first issue was written by Denny O'Neil, the next two by Steve Skeates, and the rest by Jack C. Harris, the first issue was pencilled by Ric Estrada and inked by Wally Wood, and the rest were pencilled by Mike Vosburg and inked by Vince Colletta, Frank Chiaramonte or Al Milgrom. I've only read the last issue. I remember it as a mediocre DC comic of its period and it leaves a plot thread dangling.
I just read the first issue of Isis a few months back. I found it fairly charming as Isis seemed to have every ability in the book, but still had a hard time capturing her villain. It definitely came across as being entirely unconnected to the DC Universe.
My tweeted mini review was: The Mighty Isis No. 1 (1976): I finally understand Isis' powers: She can do anything! Not dull thanks to a Isis being a likeable character.
She appeared in a story in Shazam #25. According the GCD the story was skipped by the Shazam reprint Showcase, and was by Denny O'Neil and Dick Giordano. From one point of view that puts her on Earth S, but for the most part the stories in Shazam weren't linked to the rest of DC continuity. I think the concept of Earth S was introduced in Justice League of America ##135-137, the first part of which appeared just after Shazam #25 came out. The Shazam appearance also came out a couple of weeks before the first issue of Isis's own series.
I also got the impression that she would be a good matchup for Wonder Woman in the same sense that there's the Superman vs. Captain Marvel and Supergirl vs. Mary Marvel "rivalries."
Mr Scarlet was probably intended as a Batman-like character. (I've seen it argued that he was originally supposed to suggest the Devil.) He quickly acquired a boy sidekick, Pinky.
However, Bulletman and Spy Smasher were more successful, and both were brainy types. I think the Whiz Comics storyline in which Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher fought (because the latter's brain was twisted by the Mask) was cast as a brains vs brawn battle by a caption. One could also argue that Bulletman should be paired with Hawkman since each had lady super-sidekicks. (I think Bulletgirl appeared first.)
Thanks, guys. "Typical DC for the time" is a pretty good recommendation to me. Bronze Age comics are my personal "Golden Age" and I've had a lot of fun reading other DC books from the mid to late '70s.
I also like the idea of a Wonder Woman/Isis rivalry. That would be fun. It doesn't seem as likely with the current Wonder Woman but it would have fit well with several other incarnations.
One of the things that I enjoyed about Isis was the way she was introduced back into the DC Universe. She became a love interest for and moderating influence on Black Adam. She fit into the Captain Marvel family but still had her own unique role (rather than being treated as Mary Marvel Sr.).
Regarding whether Spy Smasher or Mr Scarlet was more successful; after the war Spy Smasher was recast as Crime Smasher. In this form he appeared into 1947 in Whiz Comics and was revived for a one-shot the next year. Mr Scarlet's feature ran until the last issue of Wow Comics, which according to www.dcindexes.com came out just after the one-shot. On the other hand, Mr Scarlet never received his own title, while Spy Smasher had one for 11 issues, from 1941-43.
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According to the GCD the first issue was written by Denny O'Neil, the next two by Steve Skeates, and the rest by Jack C. Harris, the first issue was pencilled by Ric Estrada and inked by Wally Wood, and the rest were pencilled by Mike Vosburg and inked by Vince Colletta, Frank Chiaramonte or Al Milgrom. I've only read the last issue. I remember it as a mediocre DC comic of its period and it leaves a plot thread dangling.
(corrected)
I just read the first issue of Isis a few months back. I found it fairly charming as Isis seemed to have every ability in the book, but still had a hard time capturing her villain. It definitely came across as being entirely unconnected to the DC Universe.
My tweeted mini review was: The Mighty Isis No. 1 (1976): I finally understand Isis' powers: She can do anything! Not dull thanks to a Isis being a likeable character.
I never read it but I was going to ask whether or not it was even part of the DCU proper (having spun out of TV's "The Shazam/Isis Hour").
She appeared in a story in Shazam #25. According the GCD the story was skipped by the Shazam reprint Showcase, and was by Denny O'Neil and Dick Giordano. From one point of view that puts her on Earth S, but for the most part the stories in Shazam weren't linked to the rest of DC continuity. I think the concept of Earth S was introduced in Justice League of America ##135-137, the first part of which appeared just after Shazam #25 came out. The Shazam appearance also came out a couple of weeks before the first issue of Isis's own series.
I also got the impression that she would be a good matchup for Wonder Woman in the same sense that there's the Superman vs. Captain Marvel and Supergirl vs. Mary Marvel "rivalries."
But who is the Earth-S Batman?
Mr Scarlet was probably intended as a Batman-like character. (I've seen it argued that he was originally supposed to suggest the Devil.) He quickly acquired a boy sidekick, Pinky.
However, Bulletman and Spy Smasher were more successful, and both were brainy types. I think the Whiz Comics storyline in which Captain Marvel and Spy Smasher fought (because the latter's brain was twisted by the Mask) was cast as a brains vs brawn battle by a caption. One could also argue that Bulletman should be paired with Hawkman since each had lady super-sidekicks. (I think Bulletgirl appeared first.)
Thanks, guys. "Typical DC for the time" is a pretty good recommendation to me. Bronze Age comics are my personal "Golden Age" and I've had a lot of fun reading other DC books from the mid to late '70s.
I also like the idea of a Wonder Woman/Isis rivalry. That would be fun. It doesn't seem as likely with the current Wonder Woman but it would have fit well with several other incarnations.
One of the things that I enjoyed about Isis was the way she was introduced back into the DC Universe. She became a love interest for and moderating influence on Black Adam. She fit into the Captain Marvel family but still had her own unique role (rather than being treated as Mary Marvel Sr.).
Regarding whether Spy Smasher or Mr Scarlet was more successful; after the war Spy Smasher was recast as Crime Smasher. In this form he appeared into 1947 in Whiz Comics and was revived for a one-shot the next year. Mr Scarlet's feature ran until the last issue of Wow Comics, which according to www.dcindexes.com came out just after the one-shot. On the other hand, Mr Scarlet never received his own title, while Spy Smasher had one for 11 issues, from 1941-43.