Captain Atom #084 (1966)

Under the creative eyes of Steve Ditko and Gary Friedrich, and editor Dick Giordano, the second Blue Beetle was born as a back up feature in Charlton Comics' "Captain Atom". Today, let's take a look at the second adventure of everyone's favorite Beetle!

Captain Atom #083 (1966)

Beetlemaniacs...we're going back in time! Travel with me back to 1966! Star Trek and Batman were hits on TV. The USA and the USSR were racing to space...and Charlton Comics was about to launch a character that would go down as one of the greatest superheroes ever! Under the creative eyes of Steve Ditko and Gary Friedrich, and appearing as a back-up story in Captain Atom #083. Wait...I know what you're thinking..."Didn't you already post the first Blue Beetle story?" Yes I did, back in May of 2013, just a few months into this blog...but they were low resolution files I'd found online, and were offered with little context and no commentary...so...here's the first adventure of everyone's favorite Beetle...Ted Kord! 

What the Kaji Dha? A Charlton Weekly? Almost...

So a while back, I saw this image and thought, "Man that's cool! I'm going to want to share that on the blog...but who did it? What was it for?"

Blue Beetle #54 (Charlton)

This entry is bittersweet. A finale of sorts...the end of an era. We've reached the end of Dan Garrett's run as Blue Beetle in Charlton Comics. At least writer Roy Thomas, and the art team of Bill Fraccio and Tony Tallarico, bring things full circle by tying things back to Dan's first adventure. Luri Hoshid, his first love interest, returns in a familiar setting in the story "The Eye of Horus"!

Blue Beetle #53 (Charlton)

What the what? Issue #53? Where's issue #52? Well, if you're just joining us I covered that way back in March of last year! I know, I covered that one out of order, but cut me some slack it was the first Dan Garrett issue I'd ever bought! So we're now down to the final two Charlton Dan Garrett adventures. Instead of dwelling on how sad that is, let's jump right in and look at "The People Thieves" from writer Joe Gill, and the art team of Bill Fraccio and Tony Tallarico...featuring the return of the Praying Mantis-Man!

Hunter Mann, aka the Praying Mantis-Man, who we last saw way back in Blue Beetle #4 is at work in his lab. His assistant? A giant army ant named 119! Mann plans on using a colony of giant ants to take over the world. Will Blue Beetle stop him? He'll try...but the Praying Mantis-Man will be ready for him! 

Dan Garrett heads back to his own lab, after helping to put out a fire as the Blue Beetle, just in time to finish an experiment before his dinner date, Diane, arrives. Apparently Dan hasn't forgotten about Mann, and has been developing a bug spray in his free time just in case the villain returns. What an odd coincidence! As Dan and Diane head off to dinner, the Praying Mantis-Man and his army of ants attack a subway train. When the police arrive and try to stop him he trades insects for ice and freezes them with a gun that sprays carbon-dioxide "snow". 

He orders the ants to load their victims into waiting trucks, then the ants drive them to his secret mountain base. Dan's dinner isn't going as well as expected. The chef didn't show up for work, and the waiter tells Dan and Diane he heard a whole subway train full of people is rumored to have vanished! That's all Dan needs to excuse himself and begin his own investigation as...the Blue Beetle! And once at the subway station he discovers Mann's carbon-dioxide gun and a frozen police officer. 

Instead of thinking this was a cross-over event, and Captain Cold or Mr. Freeze was involved he deduces that this must be the work of the Praying Mantis-Man?! Really? Meanwhile, using spy pigeons (not sure why he ditched the insect angle so soon) Mantis-Man learns that Dan went to the restaurant with his date, but Blue Beetle left...so Garrett must be the hero! Doing what any gentleman villain would do, Mantis-Man calls the restaurant pretending to be Garrett and orders the lady a cab. 

Of course he happens to be driving it when she steps out, so he kidnaps her, taking her to his mountain hideout to act as bait for the Blue Beetle. When Dan gets back to the restaurant and the doorman mentions his date leaving with a cabbie who looked a little "green", it's quickly time for Blue Beetle to go back into action. He takes to the air, and spots a caravan of trucks driven by ants and follows them back to Mann's secret mountain lair. In the meantime Mann takes out a plane full of people...more than 100 people to add to his "colony". 

Both men arrive back at Mantis Mountain at nearly the same time, but Blue Beetle stares at the cave walls, fascinated...there's something familiar about them. Stopping to look at the cave walls was a mistake, as Mann quickly sneaks up on Blue Beetle and blasts him with the Carbon Monoxide freeze gun! While his insect army hauls Blue Beetle's body away, Mantis-Man reveals more of his plan to Diane. First, the mountain it seems isn't a mountain at all...it's a giant ant hill! Next he unleashes giant wasps. Their sting will prove to be deadly within seconds. And then gargantuan termites to obliterate the nearby cities. Diane decides her best chance of survival is to flirt with the Praying Mantis-Man. When she asks for somewhere she can clean up, Mann directs her to a nearby steam room. She opens up the valves, leaves the door open, and starts looking for Blue Beetle's frozen body figuring the steam should warm things up enough to thaw him out. The process is sped up when she touches the blue scarab on Dan's belt. 

Blue Beetle leads Diane to Mann's lab where he mixes up a batch of the insect spray he was developing at the start of the issue. Now armed, the duo head off into the giant ant hill and begin taking out the enormous insects! Seeing his plans falling apart, Praying Mantis-Man takes to the air on his dragonfly to make his escape. Blue Beetle approaches, and in a surprising moment of super dickery, he blasts the dragonfly and refuses to rescue the falling Dr. Mann.

WOW! This was a balls to the wall crazy story! Non-stop craziness! I mean insect themed villains using spy pigeons?! Really? I for one, enjoyed every wacky minute of it. It makes it that much sadder when you realize there's only one more Charlton Dan Garrett story left! And we'll be looking at that next month.

UPDATE: The Charlton Blue Beetle Contest That Was

Hey Beetlemaniacs! I have an update on the 1964 Charlton Blue Beetle contest I covered here and here. 

In case you don't remember, or don't feel like following the links, in Charlton's Blue Beetle #4, they ran a contest asking fans to vote on a costume for Dan Garrett. Winners were selected at random and awarded pieces of original art. 

The Charlton Blue Beetle Contest That Was Part 2

So, remember that post about the 1964 Charlton Blue Beetle contest? Pick which costume you prefer and win original art? Well, issue #50 listed the winners...

Blue Beetle #51 (Charlton)

We're (sadly) inching closer to the end of Charlton's adventures of Dan Garrett...the Blue Beetle. There's only 4 issues left, and I've already covered one of them! (#52...the first Dan Garrett book I ever bought!) So from writer Joe Gill, and the art team of Bill Fraccio and Tony Tallarico here's "Mentor The Magnificent"!

Blue Beetle #50 (Charlton)

I know, I know..."Issue #50?! You just covered #5 a month ago!" Yes, I did. See, Charlton decided (for reasons unknown to me) to cease their book "Unusual Tales" at issue #49, and have Blue Beetle pick things up with #50 just a couple months after #5 hit the stands. It's probably best not to think about those decisions too hard, and just jump into the story instead. So from writer Joe Gill, and the art team of Bill Fraccio and Tony Tallarico here's "Blue Beetle Meets The Evil Mister Crabb And His Monster Of Doom...The Scorpion"!

 

Miss Doris Byers has asked Dan Garrett to accompany her to the Texas Gulf. She's hoping he can help her locate her father, who disappeared from a collapsing oil rig. 

The duo approaches a nearby rig owned by Crabb Oil and are greeted first by a billy-club wielding bully, then by a gun toting thug. They're eventually led to Crabb, who Ms. Byers says is an outsider, a new comer to the oil business. Dan immediately suspects he may have had something to do with the disappearance of Mr. Byers, and when one of Crabb's men lets something slip about Byers and an oil rig it looks like his instinct is correct. For his part Crabb has heard of Garrett "a notorious meddler", and he's none too happy about them asking questions. He calls for one of his thugs to deal with Garrett and Byers, but the duo escapes. Dan shouts for Doris to dive into the sea, while he holds back Crabb's men. 

He then follows her into the sea shortly after, and uses the cover of the ocean to take the scarab from his pocket and become the Blue Beetle! Just in time too, as Doris went from the frying pan and into the fire...a hammerhead shark is soon circling them in the water! As the Blue Beetle he takes out the shark with a single blow, and rescuing Ms. Byers assures her Dan Garrett is safe...and that's when a giant mechanical scorpion from the depths of the ocean and snatches Ms. Byers in its claws!

Blue Beetle follows the metal beast down into the water, but soon finds himself captured in a giant metal claw. He fights with the strength granted him by the Pharaohs and nearly frees himself before being grabbed by the second claw and "stung" by the scorpion's stinger! 

Mr. Crabb pulls his body inside the mechanical monster to prove to Ms. Byers that no one can stop him. They make their way to an undersea base, where we learn that Mr. Byers is still alive, and has been held captive by Crabb. The villain wants Byers to sign away all of his oil rights, but so far he's held out. Using Doris as leverage he believes he'll get what he wants. But when one of the thugs brings Doris to her father's cell, something unexpected happens. Mr. Byers manages to knockout the henchman and steal his gun! 

If that wasn't enough, Blue Beetle leaps back to action, taking out three more of Crabb's men...before finding himself trapped behind a steel door as Crabb fills the room with deadly carbon monoxide gas. It's the Byers family to the rescue! Mr. Byers tries to get the drop on Crabb, but the villain is surprisingly quick on the draw! It's enough of a distraction to allow Blue Beetle to punch through the wall. 

Crabb manages to slip away. The trio discovers Crabb has been collecting barrels upon barrels of oil and gasoline. They also learn that even though Crabb has vanished, his thugs haven't. With Blue Beetle back and at full power again, the thugs don't stand a chance! 

He takes them out with relative ease, and then moves on to tearing apart the scorpion! During the fight though several barrels were damaged. Oil and gas are leaking and in danger of catching fire, locating Crabb will have to wait. Quickly Blue Beetle grabs Byers and his daughter and rushes them to safety. Crabb has gotten away for now, but if he ever turns up Blue Beetle will be ready for him!

Ok...I have to confess, as much as I've loved these silver age adventures, this one left me a little flat. I mean, Crabb got the better of Blue Beetle not once, but twice! Our hero seems to stumble through this story getting by on dumb luck, not how I prefer to see him. Crabb's motivation, his plan and purpose, are never really fleshed out either. He's hoarding oil and gas, presumably it's a money making scheme, but its not really clear. On the plus side...it's a Blue Beetle comic, and that's something we don't have right now.

Blue Beetle #5 (Charlton)

Writer Joe Gill, penciller Bill Fraccio and inker Tony Tallarico are back with another Silver Age adventure of Dan Garrett. This time around Charlton's Blue Beetle challenges the Red Knight to protect the White Queen..and the world!

Dan Garrett is enjoying dinner, and a game of chess, with his old friend Lewis Coll and Lewis' fiancee Regina White. Lewis, in an insanely obvious bit of foreshadowing, takes a loss at chess (involving the red knight and white queen) surprisingly hard. 

It seems Lewis has been working on some experiments with rocket heat shields for the government, and is a little tired or stressed. Lewis asks Dan if he'd watch after Regina, as he plans to take the rocket for a test spin. He's going to take the rocket into space in search of a metal called siliconium. In no time at all, with a mighty "vvrrooshh", Lewis is off...but in less time than that the 2nd stage rocket fails. Luckily Blue Beetle is on the scene and does some emergency repairs (I thought he was an archaeologist...not a rocket scientist!) allowing Lewis to complete his journey to...Saturn? Yup, siliconium is found on the ringed planet! 

When Lewis returns he runs into some more trouble. He passes out and nearly crashes. Once again, Blue Beetle is on the scene (mostly because Dan is still watching out for Regina). But after the miraculous save Lewis gives Blue Beetle the cold shoulder...heck, he tells him to leave! 

And when Dan comes back, he pushes him away too. He even says some pretty mean things to Regina. Once everyone is gone Lewis descends deeper into madness. While testing his new heat shield technology, and playing chess by himself, he decides to become...yup, you guessed it...the Red Knight! Once he's designed his costume and armored a horse, he heads out to rob banks and joust with fighter planes. 

Dan and Regina immediately know who's under the Knight's helmet, and Dan believes he knows why too! Lewis is obviously under the influence of poisonous gasses he inhaled while on Saturn. So, as Blue Beetle, he tries to reason with his friend. And, when that doesn't work, they come to blows...with the Red Knight getting the upper hand! Dan flies out into space to try to get some siliconium of his own, with no success. While he's gone Lewis kidnaps Regina and plans to make her his Queen. With no siliconium, Dan does the only other thing he can...he heads to Egypt to ask the ancient pharaohs for help. 

They give him a fist full of mummy dust. Interestingly enough, powdered mummy was at one time considered a cure all...not sure it was used in the battle of good vs. evil though. When Blue meets Red for the rematch, Dan punches his old friend with a fist full of mummy for the win. 

Lewis thinks it's all been a dream, but Dan explains it was the poison gas, Regina forgives him, and everyone lives happily ever after!

So, that was...interesting. These silver age stories are pure silliness and fun, but this one seemed a little more ridiculous than some. I really need to check my copy of the "Handy Space Answers" book...I'm no expert, but I'm not sure you can really get to Saturn and back that quickly.

This was also the issue that featured Alan L. Weiss' suggested costume design we covered a while back.

The Charlton Blue Beetle Contest That Was

If you were around in 1964 you could have had a chance to win some original Blue Beetle art...just by picking between these 2 images. I wonder who won?

Well, come to think of it, I think we fans won...really glad they didn't go with those striped shorts!

The L.A.W. #6: ...And Order!

Well, Beetlemaniacs, here we are...the final issue of Bob Layton and Dick Giordano's "The L.A.W." Most of the plot threads seemed to have wound down last tissue, but like the great Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over till it's over"

After the events of the last 5 issues, a battered and bruised Question finally returns home to his apartment in Hub City. Removing his mask, returning to his identity as Vic Sage, he contemplates whether or not he should tell this story, share the truth behind what happened. It might win him a Pulitzer Prize...or it might destroy him, and many others. In the end, he sits down at his computer and begins tying.

After Avatar's plot failed, the heroes reconvene at Peacemaker Project HQ. Blue Beetle is rushed to the infirmary for medical treatment, having suffered massive electrical shock shutting down the G.O.R.T., while Judomaster retires to his quarters to meditate, promising there will be much to discuss when he returns. 

After the others debrief, Questions pays a visit to his old friend the Blue Beetle. While the medical team has cleared him, Ted is not exactly "OK". Question is concerned that Ted isn't wearing a mask, openly showing the Peacemaker staff that he is Blue Beetle. Ted doesn't care. He's tired of secrets, tired of shouldering the burden of Dan Garrett's death, tired of living in the past. He decides it's time to stop being Blue Beetle...at least for a little while, while he sorts his life out.

Nightshade reappears, only to say she won't be staying long. She's uncomfortable with her new form, and wants to find a way to restore herself, but first she needs to give Uncle Yves (who's been waiting at Peacemaker HQ through all of this) an explanation. 

Mitchell Black goes before Peacemaker's governing body to request that he be relieved of duties so he can return to what he knows best...practicing medicine. The request is denied. The men behind the Peacemaker Project feel his humanity sets him apart from previous Peacemakers and makes him an invaluable asset...one they're not willing to give up just yet.

Then, everyone gets back together one last time...well, nearly everyone. 

Captain Atom, drained of his energy by Avatar, is stuck in a liquid state! He's alive, but just barely. Judomaster asks everyone to give him some privacy, but Question is permitted to stay behind and witness what will happen. Rip spends hours speaking to Captain Atom, reviewing his history, reminding him not just what happened but what made him the man he once was. Slowly but surely Captain Atom is able to reform himself, in a fancy new costume too! 

And with that we're reminded that "the events of the last few weeks had inexorably altered our paths...taking us in new, unforeseen directions." 

Finally a series of short epilogues reveal Justine and Sarge Steel continue their May-December romance with a ski trip...travelling on her private plane! We see that Salt was once a resident of Nanda Parbat, and has lived for centuries. He now stands by his friend Rip Jagger, the Judomaster, as he continues on his quest to save Tiger, aka Avatar. 

And lastly, in a cabin in the Himalayas, a man is trying to hire guides for a mountain trek. The man? Avatar. His destination? 

WOW! This really was a fun re-read...though a little sad at the same time. I said before, when this book first came out, I had mixed feelings. As excited as I was to see Blue Beetle, Captian Atom and the Question together...they weren't the versions I was familiar with at the time. I'd been so used to seeing the fun loving, wise cracking, Ted Kord of the JLI this was a bit of a shock. It's funny to me now though, writing this blog and going back to revisit old comics, as I realize that the tone in this book was a bit closer to the Charlton or even DC's Wein/Cullins series than I realized at the time. Curious how your perception can change or be influenced.

Seeing these heroes reborn, rejuvenated...kinda makes a guy wish there was more to it. Some kind of follow-up, another mini-series or monthly to tell us what happened next? Sadly...that was not meant to be. In fact, quite a few things about this series didn't turn out quite as expected. How do I know? I spoke with Bob Layton himself! Come back next week and check out my interview with Mr. Layton for all the details!

The L.A.W. #5: To Serve And Protect

We're nearly there! Bob Layton and Dick Giordano bring us the penultimate issue of their Charlton Action Heroes in the DCU series "The L.A.W.". The villain Avatar has managed to take control of the G.O.R.T. satellite with the help of a traitor inside Peacemaker HQ. Will our heroes be able to put an end to his plan once and for all? Read on...

Nightshade fights off hordes of Avatar's demons in an alternate dimension. With each wave of the attack she discovers more about herself. With the transformation that has taken place she now controls the shadows to even greater effect. But is it enough she wonders?

In space, the G.O.R.T.'s self defenses are online and firing on the BUG. Blue Beetle takes quick action, launching the BUG's own defense decoys, but he seems to be showing some unusual stress from the mission, and Peacemaker and the Question have taken notice. 

Back at Peacemaker HQ, Sarge Steel monitors the progress of his agents, while making things right with Justine (who he'd accused last issue of being a traitor). He's also had his old hand restored, "getting back to basics" he says...though somethings are changing.

Rip, sits in silent meditation preparing for an journey of astral projection. Using his finely honed mental skills he reaches out across the globe to Avatar, asking the villain to stop his plan of destruction and offering to help him. Avatar refuses.

Peacemaker decides to take risky measures to help take down the G.O.R.T. and takes a solo flight in space. He figures solo, he's too small for the satellite's defenses to lock onto, so he can clear the way for the BUG. 

It's just crazy enough to work...and it does! One page flip later and the BUG has docked and our trio is inside...where more defenses kick in!

Back in the alternate dimension, the Justice League has joined Nightshade in her battle with the Ravanan demons. A few pages later things are looking bad for an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, under heavy attack from Ravanan demons, until the League arrives to save the day...minus Nightshade who is nowhere to be seen.

In space, on the G.O.R.T., Peacemaker, the Question and Blue Beetle find themselves pinned down by the satellite's internal defense systems. Beetle freezes, unable to act, and flashing back again to the fateful day on Pago Island when his predecessor, Dan Garrett, died. Ted Kord is haunted by the idea that he could have acted, done something differently, to save his mentor and he refuses to make that mistake again! 

Charging at a damaged access panel, he tears at the exposed power cables, shutting down the satellite and nearly killing himself in the process. 

Steel tries to reason with Dr. Bhattacarja, but she tells him that her son is one of the many children Avatar "rescued". It gets worse when she explains that her son has a rare blood disease that Avatar has promised to heal, Steel knows there's no persuading her. "Oh, I see. In other words...we're dead." But when word gets back that the G.O.R.T. has been deactivated, Dr. Bhattacarja surrenders, though she worries her failure will upset Avatar and cost her son his life. 

In Pakistan, Judomaster confronts Avatar. In something of a surprise, Avatar concedes his loss, but adds that he is immortal and has all the time in the world to accomplish his plans. With that, he releases the children, including Dr. Bhattacarja's son, to the care of Judomaster. Before their meeting ends though, Avatar swears that he will kill Rip if their paths cross again. For his part Rip reminds his former sidekick that he has always loved him like a son, and will never stop trying to teach him forgiveness.

WOW! This issue was packed with some great character moments! The Justice League's return helped tie up a plot thread, but felt...unnecessary, this has been a great tale of the Charlton Action Heroes...and they've been doing just fine handling a global threat without the assistance of DC's mightiest heroes. Oddly we never saw Nightshade after they returned to our world either. Even though everything felt like it was coming to a close, there is still one more issue...perhaps we'll get some more answers there? You won't have to wait long either...I'll close up this visit with "The L.A.W." next week as I have something special planned for the end of the month! Make sure to check back!

The L.A.W. #4: Martial L.A.W.

Bob Layton and Dick Giordano continue their tale of the Charlton Action Heroes in the DCU. The villain Avatar has been revealed as the former sidekick of Judomaster, but can our heroes stop him in time? Read on, as we look at "The L.A.W." #4.

After last issues reveal of Avatar's identity, it's not too surprising that this issue begins with a flashback. It's 1944 and we get to see Rip Jagger, the Judomaster, and his sidekick Tiger (future villain Avatar) in action. They make short work of Japanese soldiers, and Axis villains, until WWII ends. Then they find a fight they can't win. The US government is still leery of the Japanese, and refuses to allow Rip to bring his young ward home to the States. Rip is upset, but decides to make lemonade out of these lemons. He'll take Tiger around the world "seeking out the lost secrets of the martial arts" until they're allowed to return to the US together. Before their journey begins though, he swears an oath that he'll never let any harm come to Tiger. 

Jump ahead to 1953 and Tiger is sick of it. He wants a home...a life...not this. So he does what any angry teen sidekick would do...he runs away. Back in the present we learn that Rip, after years of searching, eventually gave up trying to find Tiger and made his way to Nanda Parbat. Once there he became a favored follower of Rama Kushna and achieved the pinnacle of martial arts mastery. He even tells Avatar that he knew he was Tiger from the moment Rama called him, and cast him out because of the coming evil. Avatar shares his own tale, of seeing children orphaned by war, fighting against hunger and despair. How this fueled his hatred of warmongers and led him to the legend of Parashrama, the slayer of the warrior caste. He eventually learned everything there was to know about Parashrama, including the location of the temple that held the deity's weapons and serum of immortality. After hearing all he needed to hear, Rip breaks free of his bonds and the two began to trade blows. 

Praying for Rama's forgiveness, Judomaster strikes a deadly blow that stops Avatar's heart. He then frees what's left of Captain Atom and the story could have ended there...but then Rip recalls his oath. He can't let Tiger die. 

Back at Peacemaker HQ, Sarge Steel is pissed! "You revived him?!" He hammers his feelings home with a "Every drop of blood the Avatar spills from this point forward is on your hands, mister!" Steel then accuses his new lady friend Justine of being a traitor, before coming to the conclusion that she's not and Dr. Bhattacarja is! Sadly he's a little late on this, as Dr. B has already made contact with the revived Avatar and is already putting plans into play to take over the G.O.R.T. satellite. To make matters worse, Avatar unleashes another demon attack on a global scale! After reviewing security footage from the Peacemaker HQ, Steel comes to a terrible conclusion...Dr. B has been controlling him using his new cybernetic hand! Instead of tearing off the offending hand, he leads a security team to her room instead. (in fairness he does make an appointment to have it removed later) She's gone though, having locked herself in a secure room housing the controls of the G.O.R.T. While the security team tries to get access, Steel moves ahead with a plan B. Peacemaker (Mitchell Black), Blue Beetle, and the Question head off into space to shut down the G.O.R.T from there! 

Meanwhile, in another dimension, Nightshade makes contact with Martian Manhunter...too bad there's a horde of Avatar's demons hot on her heals.

Well, that was interesting. Not much Blue Beetle, but interesting. We had a false stop, which makes sense, both from Judomaster's standpoint (he can't kill the kid he swore to protect) and the fact that we're only on issue #4 of a 6 issue miniseries. That said, even with everything going on, half the issue was flashbacks and then...well, I was hoping for more story progression. 

We're almost to the end of this adventure Beetlemaniacs...what do you think?