Superman-Batman Heft 8 (April 1976)

After a long blogging break, I'm posting a bunch of German reprint editions of DC Comics today. This here is a reprint of 1974's The Brave and the Bold #114 by Bob Haney & Jim Aparo published in a Superman series that was later conjoined with Batman by its publisher, Ehapa Verlag GMBH. Since this isn't a 100 Page reprint-packed edition, the cover art is rendered full bleed, instead of the shrunken version on the original U.S. edition. The story starts on the inside front color, which unlike what we'd expect domestically, is in full vibrant cover. Actually, this edition is what they call "self-cover," meaning all the pages are the same stock. The paper is thinner and flimsier than the U.S. version, but also glossy in a way we'd rarely see before the 21st Century. There's only one full page advertisement, for some sort of kid-friendly Kodak camera.

I already talked about Aquaman elsewhere today, and this is a Tiny Titan blog, so know that the back-up feature was "Up Pops the Atom" from 1973's Action Comics #430. The German version drops inker Dick Giordano from the credits, only offering Elliot S! Maggin & Dick Dillin. Those colors really pop in this version, and dig those crazy fan art submissions from the inside back cover!

DC in Germany

• Aquaman in Top Comics Wassermann Nr. 108 (1970)
• Martian Manhunter in Superman Sonderausgabe #6 - Superman gegen Mongul! (1981)
• Wonder Woman in JLA - Die neue Gerechtigkeitsliga #31 (1999)
• GrimJack in Die Cosmic-Ranger Nr. 3 (1985)

2003 The DC Direct Gallery Collection JLA: LIBERTY & JUSTICE Limited Edition Collector's Plate by Alex Ross

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"This meeting of the Justice League is now called to order! The World's Greatest Superheroes are gathered together on this stunning Collector's Plate featuring art by the acclaimed Alex Ross. This limited edition, hand-painted Collector's Plate measures approximately 10 1/2" in diameter, features a certificate of authenticity imprinted on the back of the plate and is edged with a 24-karat gold band. Packaged in an elegant black gift box with foil stamping."

$ 59.95 US

Limited to 1700 editions, this item now sells for upwards of $199.99. It's presented here as part of today's celebration of Martian Manhunter's 61st birthday.

From back of plate:

FIRST IN A SERIES OF COLLECTOR'S PLATES!
Earth's greatest heroes unite once again as an
unstoppable force for justice! Championing the
power of teamwork with every imposing threat,
the Justice League of America will stop at nothing
to defend the world from danger!

DC Comics Supervillains: Johnny Quick with Atomica Action Figure Solicitation

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DC COMICS SUPERVILLAINS: JOHNNY QUICK WITH ATOMICA AND OWLMAN ACTION FIGURE!
FROM THE PAGES OF FOREVER EVIL!
Johnny Quick
6.75”
with Atomica
X.XX”
Owlman
6.75”

From their Earth to ours, the villainous members of the Crime Syndicate—Johnny Quick, Atomica, Owlman and more—invade your home with all-new action figures based on designs by superstar artist David Finch!
EACH SOLD SEPARATELY
$24.95 US • On Sale March 2014 * Allocations May Occur

2010 Workman DC Comics Super Heroes and Villains Fandex The Atom card

This was a nifty little reference book published by Workman Publications where you have a series of die-cut glossy stock cards detailing super-hero stats instead of recipes for margaritas or the circle of life for jungle beasts. Despite Ryan Choi still being around at this point (right?) the card features Mark Pajarillo art from an issue of JLA discussing the life of Ray Palmer. It focuses on his origin story, first Justice League adventures, some highlights from Sword and Power, then veers into Identity Crisis and finishes with the gist of Countdown to Final Crisis. That's a damned lot of information for one two-sided card about the size of a bookmark. There was even room for a tiny second picture!



Big thanks to The Irredeemable Shag for the pictures! Check out the links below for his full write-up of this novelty.

Fandex

• Shag's Overview
• Aquaman
• Black Manta
• Firestorm
• Flash Family & Foes
• Martian Manhunter
• Red Tornado
• Supergirl
• Zatanna

2005 DC Direct Superman/Batman Series 1: Public Enemies: Captain Atom Action Figure

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SUPERMAN/BATMAN SERIES 1: PUBLIC ENEMIES: CAPTAIN ATOM ACTION FIGURE
Based on the art of Ed McGuinness! The atomically powered Captain Atom reluctantly confronts the World's Finest team on the order of his evil Commander-in-Chief. This figure features multiple points of articulation and includes a Superman/Batman logo base. Packaged in a 4-color deluxe blister.

Advance-solicited; on sale August 17 o Action Figure o 6.75" H o PI

If I ever catch this for a good price, I'll buy it. He's a bit bulky for my taste, but it captures a lot of the spirit of the character's Post-Crisis high point.

The Atom Shield Logo Shirt (DCCOM298)

Shag at Firestorm Fan shot me an email the other day alerting all Ryan Choi fans to this latest use of his Batman: The Brave and the Bold Atom icon shield!

This The Atom shirt features a shield logo for the DC Comics superhero. The Atom is actually a codename shared by 4 different members of the DC Universe.

* Blue
* 100% cotton
* Distressed
* Standard Softness
* Tagged

Price: $24.00

You can buy it here!

2010 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Atom Temporary Tattoos

I may not be the biggest fan of Ryan Choi*, but I'm glad his fans got to enjoy him in the animated arena. The hybridization of his and Ray's costumes translated well. He's so much better than Ray, it's not like he needed to borrow his style to go with the exact same name and power set. C'mon though, Ray Palmer didn't ask for Al Pratt's girdle, y'know, but whatever. It might have been about the jock itch, because Al never struck me as especially hygienic. Nothing beats crimefighting with cowhide against your bare ass, amIright? Anyway, I'm pretty sure the generation of fans raised on the cartoon will rise up and kill Ray Palmer for good is 2023, so you've got that to look forward to, assuming there's even still a comic industry by that point. It'll probably all be flash animation by then, or something.



The "logo" is in the same font for all the characters in this tattoo set, but the figure tat was kind of small to take up that much space, so I stuck them together. They're basically Colorforms for human flesh, so I guess you could have Ryan Choi surf on a logo anywhere on your body you like. Anywhere. He could also carry the logo that is your sin upon his back, or he could poop his own logo. It's really only limited by your creativity/depravity.

The Irredeemable Shag of Once Upon a Geek is always coming up with Ryan Choi stuff like this for the blog, which leads me to believe I'm the Deathstroke to his Dwarfstar in regards to poo-pooing his matchbox legacy. Shag shows a good deal more tolerance toward Jason Rusch in his comprehensive overview of Firestorm & Company on these Temporary Tattoos. Shag also afforded me the opportunity to dress-down Despero, for which I'm opportunistically exploitative "eternally grateful." I also finally knocked out a post on B:TBATB Sandylion Sticker Bits, if you've been dying to live out the fantasy of the Atom firing a really tiny Green Arrow off his (non-euphemistic) Bangstick for a change. That, or maybe play Table Soccer with the little bastards. I think Ray would be classy and just buy them all doll chairs for his Card Table of Justice.

*He's Asian, so he gets small! Shouldn't he also speak in Confuciusisms and practice martial arts?

1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Captain Atom Character Card

Right off the bat, what were they thinking with that pose? Is he supposed to be doing the Batusi? Mashed potato? The swim? Shake ya tail feather!

Moving right along, Mayfair was clearly damned impressed with Captain Atom. There must have been a meeting to figure out somebody who could give Superman's insane stats some challenge in this game, and Nathaniel Adam became one of those proud few. I don't recall raw physical strength being a major concern in the contemporaneous series that revised the character, and yet he's assigned a 22, making him two tiers above Martian Manhunter/Lobo/Wonder Woman, one above Captain Atom, and one below the Man of Steel. By contrast, his Body is rather low, considering part of his origin involved getting nuked.



I don't have any major concerns with these numbers beyond that. Captain Atom has enough juice to hassle a Green Lantern or take on Firestorm, his nearest rival. The nutzo strength is impressive, but Captain Marvel's speed largely negates it, while Martian Manhunter has better Body. Atom would have a tough time hitting Wonder Woman, and Superman would still obliterate him. Captain Atom's good, but not excessively so.

• 1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Character Card Blank & Checklist

1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes The Atom Character Card

Kind of an awkward pose, and I feel skullcap > open hair, but I like this card. Ray looks bright and handsome, even if he needs his pants back. If you follow his stats, you'll note that he's an exceptional (mostly) human combatant with solid dexterity and martial numbers followed by a hell of a strong punch. Those intellectual skills are pretty awesome, too.



Belated thanks to Tom Hartley, whose offering of a batch of about 30 character card scans was the taste I needed to seek more. He then sold his box set for a very reasonable price to a poor student to facilitate this crossover, because I just had to scan them all for myself.

• 1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Character Card Blank & Checklist

1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Doctor Light Character Card

I don't know what's going on with the contorted pose and the resting of all the villain's weight on that one double-jointed pinky, but I'm pretty sure it's a deviant sex thing. Arthur Light is a creep like that. You can tell by the utterly gratuitous pudding stabber on his chinny-chin-chin. That white splatter from his crotch to his chest? Not a firework.

I've been trying to figure out if Dr. Light is more of an Atom or Martian Manhunter villain. Let me take a quick look:

In that silly '90s retro crossover The Silver Age, Dr. Light swapped bodies with the Martian Manhunter and wrecked havoc in Robby Reed's town. Light also represented J'Onn J'Onzz's devoted villain there, as the Atom was represented by Chronos. This likely riffed off a 1968 cover where Martian Manhunter was hemispherically conjoined to Dr. Light (the Atom with Jason Woodrue.) The Alien Atlas also fought Light in the doctor's first appearance with the JLofA two issues before the Atom joined. Most importantly, Light helped kill the Martian Manhunter in Final Night, and was himself executed by the Spectre as punishment for his involvement.



The Atom fought Dr. Light in his eighth issue in 1963. The following year Light fought Hal Jordan in Green Lantern. I never read the '90s Circle of Fire special with Green Lantern & the Atom, but I'll award them each a point, just in case. Dr. Light also fought Hal in an issue of Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains. Say, Dr. Light fought Hal Jordan several times in the Bronze Age, and then he fought Kyle Rayner a bunch of times in the Chromium Age, including a 3D special. Heck, Light was even Green Lantern's parallel villain in the JLA epic Rock of Ages.

Come to think of it, Dr. Light fought the Titans a bunch of times, and most of his early appearances were against the JLofA. I'm sure Elongated Man would consider Light an archnemesis, with that whole wife raping thing. Heck, nobody but Green Arrow has ever fought Light for a storyline extending six straight issues.

You know what? I don't think anybody can really claim Dr. Light as "theirs." He's been a free agent pretty much since the beginning, and there are a bunch of characters who have a way stronger claim than the Atom. I guess Dr. Light's lighting a candle for this day of "Mayfairstivus" also marks his official departure from the Atom blog. It's a shame, because the Atom, and this is a truly sorry statement, needs a rogues gallery even more than Martian Manhunter or Green Arrow. That poor little bastard.

• 1989 Mayfair Games DC Heroes Character Card Blank & Checklist

2010 Justice League of America #217 Twin Pocket Folder and Notebook Style #3009DC

I can't say for certain if I was introduced to the Atom through his segments on the '60s The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure cartoon, the better animated Super Friends, or, least likely, from actual comic books. What I can say is that George Pérez's covers to early '80s issues of Justice League of America made a big impression early on, although the Atom didn't exactly stand out on JLofA #217...



Have you spotted the Mighty Mite yet? Damian at The Tiny Titan Blog used to draw a circle to point Ray out, but I'm going to give you a bit more time if you needed it. Anyhow, this is one of my all time favorite covers, so when Rob Kelly blogged about a stretchable fabric book cover, I pricked up my ears, even though I had no use for such a thing. Then The Irredeemable Shag posted about a notebook with the art at Firestorm Fan, and after I showed it to my girlfriend, she bought me a whole batch, including pocket folders with their corresponding notebooks. Thanks, Shag!

Back Cover:


By now, you should have spotted the Atom at the lower left corner. Originally, the Tiny Titan stood on the UPC box, which came in handy. That got erased on the folder and notebook, for Ray's just kinda falling through space.

Notebook Front Cover:


Most of the bottom row heroes were victimized in translation, as Black Canary, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Elongated Man all had their legs amputated. You might think the Atom escaped harm, but in fact, he was targeted for special treatment. As you can see above, the bottom hole punched out of the notebook kneecapped the World's Smallest Super Hero! It'll be so much harder to use an eraser on your desk as a trampoline with only one leg! By comparison, the Atom got off lucky on the folder, with only his right hand perforated. I just don't have the heart to pop those things out for placement in my three ring binder.

Notebook Back Cover:

2010 Eaglemoss The DC Comics Super Hero Collection #68 - Captain Atom Figurine

1991-92 Impel DC Cosmic Cards #69- Peacemaker

How do I define injustice?

The Atom was created in the Golden Age, reinvented in the Silver Age, was a featured player on two major super teams, all besides starring in two multi-year solo series and a string of mini-series. There was no Al Pratt trading card in this set, and Ray Palmer didn't get a new card of his own-- only a a reprint of the cover of his first appearance.

Peacemaker, star of a four issue direct market mini-series and featured player in several failed books, received a card by one of the few "hot" DC artists of the time. Sure Bart Sears' perspective was jacked up and his musculature typically obscene, but it still looked contemporary and spiff.

Then again, has Peacemaker ever appeared on any kind of trading or gaming card since? Hell, merchandising of any kind? You realize Jemm, Son of Saturn has an action figure? Karma is a harsh mistress, you magnificent bastard.

There's a lesson to be learned here. The first is that the Atom was probably still thought dead at this time, which is still no excuse to exclude him. The second is that characters who debut in titles that accept colloquial contractions don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

More Impel DC Cosmic Cards

• Bronze Tiger at DC Bloodlines
• Darkseid at The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Elongated Man at Justice League Detroit
• Golden Age Cheetah at Diana Prince: Wonder Woman

1991-92 Impel DC Cosmic Cards #87- Chronos

Ah, the first ever DC Universe spanning trading card set, meant to ape the far more popular Marvel Comics set, right down to the hideously drab gray borders. I believe they were originally going to be metallic ink, but somebody went cheap, to the horror of all. Chronos here was given the gift of Kane, but Gil didn't seem to grasp the concept of trading card art. Instead of supplying a spotlight figure, you can see he went all out with the giant clock and the street scene with fleeing bystanders and Chronos riding a dinosaur that could receive UHF signals (loved Land of the Lost, hated Minilla.) Clearly Kane's art was cropped all to hell, and the image reduction surely lost some detail. Is it just me, or did Kane "sign" his work by putting himself on that billboard?

More Impel DC Cosmic Cards Posted Today

• Amazo at Justice League Detroit
• Ares at Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
• Eclipso at DC Bloodlines
• Vandal Savage at The Idol-Head of Diabolu

1998 Hasbro JLA IV - The Atom Action Figure

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The Atom had his own eponymous series for three years in the Silver Age, a team-up title with Hawkman, his own segment in the 1960s The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure animated series, regular Justice League of America membership into the 1980s, another ongoing that same decade, and has maintained a solid profile through the present. Based on this, I always assumed Ray Palmer was a major player-- one of the DC icons, all my life. Only in recent years have I come to realize that his standing in terms of publishing history isn't much elevated from other Satellite-Era C-Listers like Elongated Man and Red Tornado, and he's seriously lagging in general merchandising. When Hawkman and Black Canary can scoff at you, lo' a Mighty Mite has fallen. I never would have thought of my own favorite, Martian Manhunter, as having overtaken pretty much any of his Silver Age contemporaries, much less the Tiny Titan. Still facts are facts. J'Onn J'Onzz got a Super Powers Collection figure, pretty much the status symbol of 1985, while poor Ray had to wait until 1998 to join him in the 4 3/4 inch preferred format of super-hero action figures.



Like Steel, Wonder Woman, Superboy, Supergirl, and the aforementioned Alien Atlas, Kenner was expected to include Atom in their Batman: Total Justice line, based on various extra merch like the 1997 Dollar General Total Justice Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book. Instead, their parent company Hasbro cut a deal with KB Toys and Diamond Comic Distributors to offer an exclusive line of figures from previously unused or reworked molds.



Although I can't find a match for the legs in any previous figures, the DC Copyright on the back of Atom's leg in dated 1995, three years prior to the release of the JLA figures. It also says "Made in China," just like Ryan Choi. Sorry, but that made me chuckle, at least.



Unlike obvious piecemeal figures like Martian Manhunter and Superman Red/Super Blue, all indications are that the Atom was among the first Total Justice prototypes, an all-original figure. Ray's head is highly distinctive, with an unusual pug nose and large, expressive eyes. The level of fine detail on the figure is incredible, to such a minuscule degree I had a fit trying to capture them via photo and scanner. Note the Atom symbol pressed into Ray's forehead, or the impossibly complex belt buckle, which I find mind-boggling in its generosity. It must have been hell to paint such a minute element that could easily have been cast aside.



Almost as fantastic is the additional shrunken figurine of the Mighty Mite included in the package. Again, I had to place it on a scanner to pick up its finer points. The full figure lacks only one essential element of the Gil Kane Atom, a fine ass, which is made up for in the second figures diminutive derriere. How awesome is it the the slightly below living scale Atom can shrink to as height of just three-quarters of an inch? Check out the scale!



Each figure in the line came with a sculpted plastic JLA logo base. Curiously, while it was very difficult to keep the awkward Total Justice figures on their feet, especially when weighted down with silly "Fractal Armor" snap-on accessories, the new figures were pretty stable without them. I've posed my Atom all over the house, and though he's a bit static, he's accommodates. In stylish red with silver trim, Ray got the best base of the bunch.



The base has a little slat on the back where you can cut out a spotlight comic cover image from the packaging and create your own "COLLECTOR DISPLAY!" Ray's issue is #27, and its true he has a major role to play in the essentially silly story, but his absence from the cover is rather lame. I assume they were only using JLA series images, because otherwise passing up one of those great George Pérez Atom covers from Justice League of America would be unconscionable. The card back also has a very brief biography.

THE ATOM™
A true product of modern science, the Atom was born when physicist Ray Palmer harnessed a fragment of a white dwarf star, giving him unique powers that allow him to radically reduce his size while retaining his full mass-- and all with just a thought.

The Atom was part of the third and final JLA assortment, despite the "IV" designation on his card, alongside Wonder Woman, Red Tornado and an unmasked Bruce Wayne Batman. The previous assortments were already haunting K*B's discount bin, and the fortunes of the store itself had begun to turn. It's a shame, because while the line had its critics (the anatomy is admittedly dubious,) I found them dynamic and reasonably priced. Plus, he received a third figure from a variation on the line. If I recall correctly, Toys-R-Us carried the leftover figures that would have been in the last wave as two-packs, including DC Super Heroes The Flash & The Beetle with the Atom! Unfortunately, this additional "shrunken" figurine reflected the de-aged Teen Titans Atom with exposed hair and a brown leather vest, which wasn't even fashionable in the "bomber jacket" '90s.



I plan on doing a series of this type of Total Justice/JLA posts for my other blogs, so additional links are forthcoming as available. Now to close this thing out, here's the Super-Hero in the Cupboard...

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