"Gang War"

It’s time for Blue Beetle #7 and “Gang War”*…the conclusion to the Muse/Question story arc. But wait! We lost someone on the way to the party…Bruce Patterson is no longer inking Paris Cullins’ pencils. Instead Del Barras is handling the job.

Last month, and the month before that, Blue Beetle and the Question found themselves teamed up against the Muse and his gang(s). Not just that, the last issue ended with them cornered by the Muse in an old theater! What happens next?
 
Tied up, and surrounded Blue Beetle and the Question appear to be in some serious trouble. The gangs have all signed on with the Muse and his plan to dominate Chicago. All they need to do now is eliminate the old mob, and our heroes. His first order of business? Muse asks for a vote on what to do with the captured heroes. “Kill‘em!” seems to be the popular response. Luckily Ted still has an ace up his sleeve…or rather, a remote control to summon the BUG which crashes through the wall just as Muse is about to make our heroes into Swiss cheese with an UZI. Chaos ensues as the police sirens signal law enforcement’s approach and the gangs scatter like bugs when the lights come on. Muse makes his getaway by tossing a smoke grenade leaving BB and the Question to deal with the cops…which Ted does with a strobe flash from the BB gun. 

We get a brief interlude as Angie the receptionist contemplates bashing her uncle’s head in while he tinkers with the Kord Omniversal electronics he’s forced her to steal. But she just can’t do it.
 
In the meantime, high over the windy city, Vic tells Ted he’s thinking about calling it a night. The gangs have scattered, and while they now know the plan…there’s not much they can do until Muse resurfaces. That’s when Ted pulls a Batman and unveils some new tech, “Snoopy” a small beetle shaped robotic drone with a camera and a microphone that can act as their eye in the sky. Even better? He’s built dozens of the things!
 
Don Vincent Perignon gets a rude awakening, literally, when the Muse sneaks in for a late night chat. “Psst, Pops…wake up! Hi. Can we talk?” he says, with a gun in the old mobster’s face. The two trade insults for a few panels, while Muse offers advice, “Get out of business Pops…while you still can!” Don Vincent doesn’t plan to give up so easy though…not after years building up his business. After all, he wants to leave his business to his son. Muse decides to bounce on the bed, giving the Don a moment to pull the sheets out from under the clown faced villain and call for help. Before the thugs can come to his aid though, Muse tosses a tear gas canister and leaps through a window. Geez he’s a slippery one, isn’t he? Richie, the Don’s son, comes in to see if his father is ok? He’s pretty ticked though that someone would try to scare him out of business and ruin the legacy he wants to leave for his son. “If these punks want a war…we’re gonna give ‘em one!”
 
Another interlude. Jeremiah Duncan, Kord’s chief chemist, meets his blackmailer in a dark parking garage. He hands the shadowy figure a package, and says it should finish his obligation. The figure says it does…for now, but Jeremiah will need to come up with “more of the same next week, and every week thereafter!” before disappearing into the shadows.
 


At that same time, the gangs collect at Wrigley Field…and so does “Snoopy”, which means Blue Beetle and the Question can’t be too far behind. Unfortunately, neither is Don Vincent’s mob. One of member of the youth gangs, a guy that looks like Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” decides that if Muse doesn’t show he can step up and lead the gangs. Not everyone feels the same, but it’s ok…the mob is here to snuff out the competition. As guns are drawn and fists begin to fly, two familiar figures drop from the night sky to join the fight. Beetle and Question throw down with the thugs. The BB gun flashes, punches and kicks are thrown, jokes about critics are made…and then Muse tosses another smoke bomb as part of his grand entrance. This time, he’s looking to put an end to things. He asks everyone to give up on his bad idea. “Go home, all of you…before somebody gets hurt!” Muse has now done a complete switcheroo. This doesn’t sit well with Brando, who grabs a gun and opens fire on Don Vincent. Muse leaps into action “NO! Don’t shoot him…he’s my…father!” With that, the son takes the bullets meant for his father. Ted and Vic tackle the gunman as the Don comforts his dying son. Richie gasps, “Didn’t want anyone hurt Papa…just wanted to put you out of business…so I could lead my own life…” he follows that with some Shakespeare before taking his final breath. Then, after a moment of silence, the heroes, the gangs, and the mobsters give Richie a slow clap that builds to a round of applause and the curtain falls with a final, black panel.
 
WOW! That was an oddly dark and unexpected ending! Sure the Richie/Muse bit was kind of obvious…but him dying while quoting William Shakespeare? Didn’t see that coming! Having the Question join his Charlton buddy Blue Beetle was fun. I wonder if DC ever considered having the two costar in a regular team-up book? Another light month as far as subplots…I guess that’s both good and bad. Finally Del Barras’ inks give the book a little different look. Ted appears a little thicker more bodybuilder than acrobat. Not bad, but different.
 
Haven’t posted this recently, so for you new readers…here you go!
 
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*Look at that…two issues in a row where the cover blurb and story title match up!

"Face Off!"

,It feels like 1986, so it must be time for another Blue Beetle adventure with Len Wein, Paris Cullins and Bruce Patterson! It's Blue Beetle #6..."Face Off!"*

 Last month, Blue Beetle and the Question found themselves jammed up in a junkyard and deciding to team up against the Muse and his gang(s). What happens next? Read on!

We join BB and the Question on the BUG as they work out a game plan. They've managed to grab one clue...an invite to the big gang meeting. It's a simple piece of paper, with the masks of comedy and tragedy, Thalia and Melpomene, and the message "Tonight at midnight! You know where! Be there!" Ted uses the BUG's on board crime lab, but it doesn't reveal any fingerprints or clues. The duo does deduce that the meet will take place at a theater...and they agree to split up and try to pinpoint the location. As Ted starts to explain how to use the BUG's sky-wire, the Question simply jumps...and Paris Cullins NAILS it in a beautiful sequence! Take a look!

Afterwards, once the Question has returned to his civilian identity of reporter Vic Sage, we get a cool cameo, by a cabbie named Paris and his passenger, Len, who recognize the newsman.

Quick cut to the Boss of Bosses, Don Vincent Perignon. He's butting heads with his son Richie, who reports that he hasn't found out who's been organizing the gangs and turning them against the family. Don Vincent is really ticked by this punk who's trying to take over...he wants to be able to leave his "legacy" to his son, but Richie doesn't want it! Richie wants to break into show business, but the Don frowns on the idea. Richie is an only child, and since he has no other children, his father needs him to take over!

Ted swings back to Kord Omniversal. We find out that Takamoto and Calhoun have continued to work on the Promethium project...and may be closer to a solution. Angie is still stealing parts from the lab for her crazy uncle...but after a short talk with Ted she swears to herself that if her uncle keeps making her do this, she'll...kill him! Melody notes that Ted's "walk in the fresh air" has done him some good. (I guess fighting gangs in a junkyard with a faceless partner has a way of putting a spring in your step) Ted dabbles with the lab computers and makes a discovery that pulls him away from Melody yet again. She has to be getting suspicious, right?

Other plot points? Lt. Fisher stops trying to pin Dan Garrett's death on Ted, and instead stirs up some trouble at a gym full of Mr. Clean look-a-likes. Carapax tries tunneling his way deeper into the mysteries of Pago Island...until a tunnel collapse stalls his plans...for now. And Vic Sage catches some heat from his boss...until he comes up with a clue to the gang issues.

But now...the moment we've all waited for...midnight! The place? Chicago's "once legendary Globe Theatre". Gangs pour in through every door and window. Black jacketed greasers, muscular bald guys (maybe Fisher's gym buddies?), some guys that look like Zartan's Dreadnoks from G.I. Joe. It's pretty obvious these guys don't like each other...and tensions begin to rise, until the Muse arrives. He explains that he's the one that's been helping them, acting as a guardian angel, and his plan to unite them into an awesome army capable of overthrowing the old syndicate. Blue Beetle has been watching from the rafters and is just about to head back to the BUG when the beam he's on collapses, He's thrown to the wolves, outnumbered one against hundreds for about 6 panels, until the Question appears on the scene. Unfortunately for them, just like the cliffhanger of the last issue, the Muse steps in, this time with an uzi instead of a rocket launcher..."You've all had a chance to prove how tough you are! Now, I think, it's my turn!"

While this was another quick paced issue, I don't feel like it moved the story along much, and it was a little repetitive. Both this and issue #5 ended on almost the exact same note. Not necessarily a bad issue, well written and well drawn, just felt like it slowed the story arc down a bit. Oh well...there's always next time...

*It's funny...previously we've seen issue #1 with the cover "Watch Out, World!!! The Beetle Is Back And Adventuredom Will Never Be The Same!!" and a story title of "Out From The Ashes", #2 cover "In Final Conflagration With Firefist The Incendiary Man! and story "This City's Not For Burning!"...you can see the others #3, #4, and #5 for yourself...this is the first issue so far where the cover blurb and the story title match up!

Ask The Right Queston!



Ride with us now to the thrilling days of yester...er, I mean let's go back to July of 1986, when Len Wein, Paris Cullins and Bruce Patterson brought us Blue Beetle #5 (cover dated October 1986). And, as the cover proclaims, "The Question is back--and the answer is murder!"

We open with someone looking at a whole lot of notes, files and photos on Blue Beetle, that someone has questions*...and that someone is reporter Vic Sage! Vic's boss doesn't want him wasting time looking into the Blue Beetle though, not when their are gangs running wild on the streets of Chicago. And out of sheer coincidence on the very next page...a gang is running wild on the streets of Chicago! With cops hot on their tail the thugs pile into their car and speed away! One of the thugs panics "What's wrong--I thought we wuz protected!" and at that very moment someone fires a missile at the police. "See? What'd I tell ya? With the Big M backin' us we can't be stopped!!" A second shell crashes into the cops and releases...laughing gas! Hey...is the Joker moving into town? There's no time to wonder because Blue Beetle is now on the scene, following the criminals from the air in his Bug! Just when he gets close though, another explosion rocks a nearby building and Ted has to evade falling bricks, allowing the gang to getaway.

We're then introduced to the king of the underworld, no not the devil, Vincent Perignon mob boss of Chicago. Seems that gang had actually hit one of his numbers operations and he's not too happy about it. His son Richie is on the case though.

Meanwhile, at a coffee shop, Vic Sage is meeting with an informant by the name of "Rodent". The rat (haha, he's an informant, and his name is Rodent...get it?) tells Sage he's heard someone is trying to organize the "kid" gangs. He doesn't have a name, but he knows they're planning to meet at midnight!

Ted brings the Bug back to his underground hide-out for a check-up, and things look good. No damage from the falling bricks!

Lt. Fisher is still determined to pin Dan Garrett's death on Ted, but his boss has other plans. The Captain tells Fisher he needs to drop the Garrett case, or at least do it on his own time. The police are focusing on the gang problem and Fisher needs to get on board.

Ted and Melody have a brief interlude.Ted's questioning how he got here.** The conversation seems to cover both Ted being placed in charge of Kord Inc and becoming Blue Beetle (though he never tells her this). She assures him he's doing the right thing, and that under his leadership Kord Inc has grown into a force second only to STAR labs! We also learn that Ted's dad is MIA, involved with some kind of Egyptian dig before Ted steps out for fresh air...as the Blue Beetle!

Faster than you can say "gang fight", Vic and Ted are fighting side by side, as the Question and Blue Beetle of course, against an army of gang members in a junk yard! What follows is 5 pages of great action and bad puns. Putting hoods under the hood (of a car), using a garbage can to take out the trash (gang members being the trash). This all comes to a "wha-whoom" stop when another missile comes flying into the dump giving the gang members a chance to get out. BB and the Question dust off and decide to work together on this gang issue...and the starting point? Figure out who is "Big M"? Two panels later we readers know the answer...a comically clad villain named "The Muse"!

So there you have it, another fast paced, action packed issue! A lot of the previous sub-plots take a break this issue (like Angela the receptionist, Carapace back on Pago Island, and Jeremiah) which works well to move things along. And I've said it before, I'll say it again...Paris Cullins draws some amazing fight sequences...I think I'm going to have to start scanning a few panels to include with these reviews in the future...great stuff!

* get it? Questions...sorry, couldn't resist.

** This kind of statement always reminds me of the movie "That Thing You Do"...as the band in the film takes the stage the guitarist looks at the drummer and asks "How did we get here?" The response? "I led you here sir, for I am Spartacus."