Posts Tagged ‘Impulse’
JSA (1999) 54
JSA (1999) 54
The JSA hosts the JLA in the Jan. 2004-cover dated issue.
Geoff Johns joins the two teams for their annual dinner in 20 pages that don’t seem rushed or over crowded. While drawing on some history between characters, the story doesn’t require any real background knowledge to enjoy. Johns focuses on characterization rather than action, though two minor-league villains pop in for a cameo. Their intrusion harkens back to DeMatties and Giffen’s tenure on the Justice League books from a decade earlier.
Johns’ encyclopedic knowledge of the DC Universe is evident as he has fun with the iconic heroes. Batman’s paranoia is rampant as he looks in every dark corner for trouble. Green Arrow and Hawkman spar with words and threats. Impulse and Jay Garrack stare across the great divide of the generational gap.
All-in-all, JSA 54 is a fun read. Johns proves equal to the task of combining the Golden and Modern Age families for a sit-down meal.
Young Justice (1998) 3
Another in a string of Happy Halloween reminders to Four Color readers. Today we’ve tapped Young Justice to herald the holiday.
Young Justice began as a bridge between Teen Titan teams. Originally the group consisted of Superboy, Robin and Impulse first tossed together in the GirlFrenzy one-shot. They next teamed in the World Without Grown-Ups mini-series before earning an ongoing title in 1998.
Young Justice (1998) 3
Red Tornado became their “guardian” and were later joined by Wonder Girl, Secret and Arrowette.
Young Justice ended as it began, serving the greater good of the Teen Titans. Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day was a three-issue mini leading into a new Teen Titans cartoon. Though billed as a maturation process for the characters, licensing proved too lucrative for art.
Issue three worked as an early example of what would come. Peter David and Todd Nauck crafted a Halloween tale that has little to do with October 31, but everything to do with the title.
Mr. Mxyzptlk makes a guest appearance in The Issue Before the One Where the Girls Show Up. Young Justice has agreed to host a Hallow-Teen Party. The fourth-dimension’s most notorious resident works on his thesis of three-dimensional primitive life forms only to be unwittingly shocked back to his former state of prankster.
This is a priceless bit of late 1990’s fun courtesy of Mr. David. The dialog is witty and relevant, right down to the Hason reference by Impulse.
As mentioned above, all good things must end and the series was cancelled by issue 55.
Drown your sorrows with some sugary treats and remember the good times that included several specials to compliment the regular series.
DC Universe Christmas TPB (2000)
DC opened the new millennium with a gift-wrapped Christmas trade in both cover and manner. Readers traverse holidays from the Golden to Modern Age of comic books in 160 pages.
As diverse as the stories, the characters chosen for the Tanenbaum tome are even more so. From the old west with Bat Lash to World War I Enemy Ace to wayward West waif Impulse back from the future.
Story wise are Frank Miller’s first take on the Dark Knight, “Santa Claus – Dead or Alive!”
Flash stars in the first of two “Present Tense” stories.
“The Story of the Fir Balsam” is a Golden Age story from Sensation (Mystery) Comics (1941) issue 14 involving Nazi spies.
Superman shines in “The Gift.”
One holiday tale that always pops up is “A Swingin’ Christmas Carol” featuring The Teen Titans. The original Teen Titans. Complete with hip and mod slang for the times. Those times were the 1960s; 1966 to be exact.
Darkseid appears in the second “Present Tense” story, guest starring Santa.
Captain Marvel Adventures (1941) issue 69 is been reprinted featuring “Billy Batson’s Xmas!”
“Alone for the Holidays” proves Robin will always have family.
DC Universe Christmas TPB (2000)
The Legion of Super Heroes star in “Star Light, Star Bright…Farthest Star I see Tonight!”
“The Present” teams Green Lantern and Green Arrow again.
“Night Prowler!” is from House of Mystery (1951) 191.
“The Harley and the Ivy” is a lush retelling from The Batman Adventures Holiday Special.
Sandman and Sandy take readers back to the Golden Age of comic books again with “Santa Fronts for the Mob.” The story originally appeared in Adventure Comics (1938) issue 32.
“An Eye for Detail” showcases old west dandy Bat Lash.
Enemy Ace takes a break from the hell of war in “Silent Night.”
Impulse plays Santa’s helper in “No, Bart, This is No Santa Claus.”
Finally, Superman closes out the book with what could possibly be DC’s first super-powered driven Christmas story in “Superman’s Christmas Adventure” from 1940.
DC Universe Holiday Bash III (1998)
DC saved the best for last. The DC Universe Holiday Bash III is the final installment of Christmas specials before Y2K featuring seven stories running a gamut of characters.
Superman and Batman headline the book in “World’s Finest Christmas.” Writer Karl Kesel expounds on the toy collecting trend of the day. The Captain Action knock-off featured is Toyman’s revenge for a believed slight. Batman brings a bittersweet tale to conclusion with an act of kindness.
“The Joker’s Twelve Days of Christmas” mangles the holiday staple in a murderous take off.
DC Universe Holiday Bash III (1998)
Wonder Woman returns to her newfound fold for Christmas to be accused of foregoing her heritage and beliefs in “Heathen Ways.”
Chuck Dixon proves why he was the Bat Family scribe for so long with “Alone for the Holidays.” Robin finds himself part of an extended family so he’s never really alone – especially at Christmas time.
Prison is not the place to be for Christmas as Shrapnel discovers. His short-term vacation from the Slab brings Christmas “Home for the Holidays.”
Bat Lash has “An Eye for Detail” saving a frontier family from a dastardly land deal.
Finally, Impulse creator Mark Waid pens, with Devin Grayson, “No, Bart, There is No Santa Claus.” Bart Allen’s naivety and impulsive nature send him around the world as Santa’s helper.
The package is wrapped by a two-page spread as imagined by Sergio Aragones.
DC would take a break from Christmas specials for the next several years allowing the individual writers to pen any holiday tales in their respective titles.
Impulse 57
There’s an innocence that’s rekindled as Impulse discovers a childhood he never had. Maybe that’s what helped make the DC Universe fun again. Each issue held a charm that made you wanna be young again.
Especially the Christmas issues.
Toss in guest stars Plastic Man and Mr. Mxyzptlk and, well, there’s Christmas magic again.
Impulse 45
Here’s a blueprint for a Christmas comic book. Like the Pixar movies, Impulse is for young and old alike. Not just this issue – “Christmas Impulse” – but all 89.
Taken as a one-and-done readers unfamiliar with Bart Allen’s little Alabama universe may feel some confusion. My recommendation is take issue one, read and repeat until you’ve devoured the run.
Impulse 34
Great cover, but misleading.
While I love the issue, Impulse 34 does not contain a Christmas story. Don’t let that deter you from picking this and the following issue outta the back issues for a good read.
Who am I kidding? Pull the trigger and pick up the whole run. You just have to wait till issue 45 for a Christmas story.
Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day (2003)
For those about to embark upon the remainder of your lives, happy National Graduation Tassel Day.
May 17 is the day. Across the nation a parade of graduates will be commemorating today, or a day like this soon enough, taking their tassel and moving it right to left in a symbolic recognition of their academic achievements.
Those earning graduate degrees will mirror that motion, moving tassels from left to right.
We will symbolize the day with a three issue, mini series published July to August 2003, Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day.
The trilogy was important for several reasons; not the least of which were the deaths of Donna Troy and Omen. It also meant the end of both title books allowing for new Teen Titans and Outsiders books to begin.
While never officially offered as a reason for cancellation, it’s long been rumored Young Justice was given the axe to make way for a new Teen Titans title to compliment the then new Teen Titans animated series on Cartoon Network.
Unlike the above-mentioned story, most graduations are a time of celebration. Nearly four-million high school seniors graduated last year. That same number are expected to graduate from college in the coming year.
About 66.2 percent of those high school students will attend college. The most popular college majors are Business, Health Professions, Social Sciences and History, Engineering, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Communication and Journalism, Visual and Performing Arts, Computer and Information Sciences and Education.
About 136,000 of those high school graduates will enlist in the armed forces.
The Titans began as the Teen Titans in 1964. Over time they changed team members and affiliations. Marv Wolfman and George Perez launched the uber popular The New Teen Titans in 1980 which became Team Titans then the Teen Titans again in 1996 followed by the Titans of this story arc.
The Titans returned in 2008 and were rechristened once more for the New 52 and five years later for DC Rebirth and are currently under the Infinite Frontier banner.
Young Justice was formed in 1998 with members Superboy, Robin and Impulse. They would be joined by Wonder Girl, Secret and Arrowette.
The title would be relaunched in 2011 in an unrelated series as a literary version of the animated show. The comic book would conclude with issue 25, a month before the cartoon ceased to air.