It’s the tenth titanic episode of WHO’S WHO REVIEW! Shag and Rob take a fresh look at classic entries from Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, featuring Animal Man, Captain Boomerang, Elasti-Girl, The Global Guardians, Power Girl, Weather Wizard and more! Plus we cover YOUR feedback!
Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?
- Leave comments on our website: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/wwr10/
- Images from this episode: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/wwr10-gallery/
- E-MAIL: fwpodcasts@gmail.com
Subscribe to the WHO’S WHO PODCAST:
- Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/whos-who-the-definitive-podcast-of-the-dc-universe/id1087335211
- Subscribe via other podcatchers: http://feeds.feedburner.com/whos-who
- Also available on Spotify, Audible, and Amazon Music
Our fantastic themes are by Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas! http://www.facebook.com/BadMammaJammas.
This episode brought to you by InStockTrades. This week’s selections:
- DC Finest Super Friends: https://www.instocktrades.com/comingsoon/jul257252/dc-finest-super-friends-the-fury-of-the-super-foes-tp
- Power Girl Power Trip: https://www.instocktrades.com/products/dec227256/power-girl-power-trip-tp
This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:
- Visit the Fire & Water website: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com
- Like our Fire & Water Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Follow Fire & Water on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social
- Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
- Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts
- E-MAIL – fwpodcasts@gmail.com
Thanks for listening! Who’s Next?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
That Supermobile entry was fantastic. There are tears of joy, laughter and nostalgia running down my face. I probably only had one issue featuring the Supetmobile, but it made a huge impression.
In sixth grade my friends and I would design “futuristic” space ships and no one could understand why mine had arms. Philistines!
The “no engine” detail was new to me but makes perfect sense in the Silver Age. Is is hilarious!
Thanks to everyone who had a hand putting together that entry.
The Outlaw Star anime proved conclusively that spaceships are 1000% cooler when they have arms. How else are they supposed to carry giant pistols and katanas?
before I EVEN listen I want you guys to know I saw this drop when I’D BEEN working on my latest story for 18 hours but you guys are good enough so I WANTED TO listen while I could keep my eyes open
There were at least two other characters who debuted in novels besides Dr. Mist. One was Rima, who first appeared in the book, Green Mansions. The other one was, as you thought, Richard Dragon. He appeared in a book called Kung Fu Master, Richard Dragon: Dragon’s Fist. It was written by Denny O’Neil under a pseudoname.
I remember how frustrated Shag got while he was doing the description for the loose leaf entry for Lady Shiva. The official entry had her training under ” a man called Richard”. He wondered why they weren’t using his surname. That’s because the rights were still with the O’Neil estate at that time. DC must have gotten that straightened out because a version of the character appeared in the New 52. He was also named in the New History of the DC Universe.
I…Vampire ended with a missed opportunity. Bennett’s then love interest, Deborah Dancer, had injested a potential cure for vampirism before Bloody Mary killed her and destroyed Bennett. She arose as a vampire, but she still had her own willpower and was able to survive in the daylight. She basically became a version of Marvel’s Blade. Such potential but they never used her her again pre Crisis.
One interesting fact I noted. All of DC’s then current supernatural heroes, had girlfriends with alliterative names.
Abby Arcane
Betty Berg
Cassandra Craft and
Deborah Dancer
A few things I recently got a trade of the I… Vampire stories from House of Mystery & they were really cool, plus the updated version of him is pretty awesome it was one of the few new 52 books I picked up . In the Plasmus entry it says that General Zahl has an entry but he doesn’t & he should he caused the original Doom Patrol to die. Shag you are correct one of the soldiers in the Aquaman movie looked just like the Scavenger I figured it was a nod to him.
Wow 2 flash Rouges in one show, that’s 2 more than in the movie (unfortunately). And yes the flash enemy’s are called The Rouges usually led by Captain cold. Captain Boomerang because he is a simple guy who can do something simple in an extraordinary good way. As for weather Wizard he was kind of a bore until Johns take over when he established that he was well read and often quoted Shakespeare.
O.k., first things first – apologies if I came across as too abrasive in my last comment concerning Kevin O’Neill’s claims to fame; I very well may have misunderstood the context in which you were talking about him in the preceding episode.
As to the entries this time around:
I always thought Cluemaster was pretty lame – like a bargain basement who wasn’t even capable of wrapping up his clues in clever obfuscatory verbiage. C’mon (although I’ll admit that the one and only place I ever saw him was in the excellent Batman #336, with art by JLGL PBHN, which I purchased in a Whitman 3-pack).
I’ve probably mentioned it in the comments to For All Mankind, but I kind of like the Global Guardians; besides those you highlighted, I also kind of like Bushmaster. And those two ladies will always be Green Fury and Icemaiden to me…
One of my favorite entries this time around is Power Girl, so nicely rendered by Mr. Staton – and I agree that this look is preferable to the boob window version.
By the way, Shag, Steve Englehart initially worked as an artist with a credits under his belt, mainly for Warren, before he switched to writing. That may be who you were thinking about.
Anyway, another great show, gentlemen.
p.s., Rob, I agree: Hooper is indeed a good movie.
Another fun show, gentlemen. We used to have one of those “original” Simon games, and I think your “BEEP BOOP BOO”s are way better (sans the culturally insensitive Swedish Chef Muppet version…).
A few comments:
CAPTAIN BOOMERANG displayed his ability to become a “human boomerang” once in The Flash v1 #227.
CLUEMASTER’s “logo” is from the lettering from the title of his first appearance story, “The Cluemaster’s Topsy-Turvy Crimes”, in Detective Comics v1 #351. Carmine Infantino pencilled this story, which explains why he pencilled the entry.
It was also on page 7 of that story when Robin exclaimed, “Man, that Cluemaster’s a walking utility belt!”
Batman v1 #336 is not just a done-in-one, it’s a Done-in-One Wonder. The story was covered by Dad, the Xum Crew, and Batman himself in episode 10 of his Podcast Wonder Show…
https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/wondershow10/
DR. LIGHT II: I already explained last time the decision to make the new Dr. Light Japanese, but I didn’t mention that the original plan of replacing Light with a female character was way back in 1982! From an October 1982 interview with Marv Wolfman (when issue #27 of the first New Teen Titans series was on the newsstands), published in The Comics Journal #80: “I’m thinking of killing Dr. Light and having someone female wear his costume. Since all his powers are in his costume, anyone could wear it. Unstable molecules. It’s skintight.”
ELASTI-GIRL: I love how Rita’s headshot in the surprint has her hand doing the “call me” sign I’ve seen Hollywood execs use in TV shows and movies…
And in the lower surprint image, Rita is climbing out of the ear of Robotman’s head, which was a scene from page 22 of the first Doom Patrol story in My Greatest Adventure #80.
POWER GIRL: The machine Kara is trapped in within the surprint is the symbioship; the image is based on a scene in Showcase #98. The surprint image of Kara smashing the walking tank is based on a scene in Showcase #99.
WEATHER WIZARD has been a TV star since 1978! He was one of the villains in the Legends of the Super-Heroes live action specials produced by Hanna Barbera. He was played by comedian Jeff Altman, whose other claim to fame was his co-starring role in the Krofft variety show Pink Lady…
SUPERMOBILE was one of the two Volume II entries that Dad fully completed himself (Sugar and Spike was the other). He found the Supermobile to be a goofy idea that didn’t completely make sense in the original story in Action Comics. For example, if Superman was able to retain his super-powers in the vehicle, then why does he need the “super-vision scope” on the dashboard? At least on the Super Friends cartoon they explain that it is a vehicle designed to mimic Superman’s super powers whenever Superman himself is under a red sun (or lost most of his powers to old age)…
That was a neat Super Powers Collection commercial stinger. Did you know that the Supermobile appeared on Batman: The Brave and the Bold cartoon as the Lex-Soar-7? Not that it was named that, but in “Battle of the Super-heroes,” it was Luthor’s attack vehicle that had the same design as the Supermobile (complete with robotic arms) and was painted in Luthor’s green and purple color scheme.
I will post relevant images on Blue Sky shortly. Thanks again for yet another fun show.
Guys, this was a wonderful birthday gift! Maybe the best since I got the Kenner Death Star Playset.
Clue Master went out like a hero saving his buddy Major Disaster in the first issue of Kieth Giffen’s Suicide Squad. Of course that was prior to The New 52, Rebirth, All-In etc so I don’t know if that still stands.
It’s a shame that th he 2nd Dr Light’s career was derailed for whatever reason. Pulling her from the Justice League ruined her chances to become a bigger presence in the DCU.
The Supermobile is propelled by Superman’s flying ability? Hasn’t he used it when he’s been depowered? Maybe I’m remembering that wrong.
Thanks again for another thoroughly entertaining installment of The Who’s Who Review. It’s always great fun.
I’d have say besides rita (.cue Beatles song )!
I’m most familiar with the flash foes captain and weather wizard or as he was called in the batman manga go go the magician.
I’d these are may favorites .
Here’s a secret question: though every one knows the flashes rouges . If we took some from who’s who and put on sit comic like m.a.s.h or cheers who would want from dc comics who’s in that show ?
Another stellar show! Who doesn’t love Captain Boomerangs costume. Part magician, part pajamas, all fun! I always wondered why they didn’t do more after introducing the heroic Dr Light. If I ever get to ask marv wolfman anything, this would be it. Robs fan casting of Sydney Sweeney is brilliant. I never thought about but now I can’t unsee it. If it happens, I hope they go with the boob window. You could make a case for one of the other prints in animal man’s logo being a giraffe. Finally, if I encounter a 100 ft woman in a mini skirt, I’m looking up…just saying. Keep up the great work and remember, Morts rock!
Good day gentleman. Another fabulously enjoyable show – and just to confirm, yes, of course I listen! I just rarely comment for reasons of chaotic brain. I listen while walking from A to B, think of a dozen things to comment on, and invariably forget them all as soon as a shiny object passes before my eyes.
Much as I’d love to offer a 12-page thesis on Animal Man and that title’s importance in my life as a locus of experimental storytelling, animal rights and indefensibly dorky costumes, I’ll save that for my long-in-gestation index show Hey Buddy!, coming to a podcatcher near you never (cf. aforementioned brain chaos).
One thing I will mention is that the Supermobile instinctively me gives me feelings of sadness and disappointment, even when lovingly rendered by Xum. I had the Corgi toy as a kid and was perpetually frustrated by the fact that the fists did not extend beyond the nosecone, rendering them all but useless. As an adult, I realise that this is an irrational response, and that I should have just embrace the dorkiness of the plane-with-fists concept. So the revelation that Superman is flying this contraption under his own power, in a seated position, considerably ups the dorkiness factor and significantly contributes to healing my childhood trauma. So thanks for that.
Great show as always and an interesting group for the randomizer to pick. A few comments …
Animal Man – First discovered him in the series which I started reading just based on the awesome Bolland cover for #1, which yes looks like a lot like this entry. You might recall that B’Wana Beast plays a big part in the first arc although he is hidden in shadows for much of the first issues. Morrison himself said that everyone knew it was B’Wana Beast because of Who’s Who and the entry! I think that is true!! As for that series, the first 4 issues read like a standard sort of story. But issue #5 is ‘The Coyote Gospel’ which everyone needs to read! You read that story you know this series is going to be special.
Elasti-Girl – yes Byrne loves the Doom Patrol. Yes, his run on Doom Patrol stinks. But I’ll remind everyone that he not only did the Who’s Who entry but he also did the Secret Origins annual covering the team. That book is awesome.
Nemesis Kid – yes, I love this character. There is a bunch of things to love. First off, great power set. Second, his heel turn in that first story is a huge piece of Legion lore. The whole time he is setting up Karate Kid to look like the traitor setting up a grudge between the two forever. When they square off, Nemesis’ powers kick in. You might think that he would become invulnerable to counter-act Karate Kid’s powers. Nope … he just manifests ‘better karate’ (insanity) and beats him to a pulp. But then when he meets up to fight Princess Projectra, his powers kick in making him see through her illusions. But that didn’t help him when she used combat training to snap his neck. The whole thing is fantastic. Everyone should love this character and story.
Quislet – I think the thing about the character is that he is completely irreverent. He doesn’t seem to care about rules or even missions necessarily. His background is fleshed out a bit when authorities from his dimension come to bring him back to their world. His ship is destroyed in the Magic Wars so he has to return. But a couple of points. Quislet is made of energy and can ‘possess’ non-organic material and change it’s shape (yes it disintegrates after). Wildfire is made of ‘anti-energy’ and can shoot blasts and has strength. But Rob does point out some similarity which writer Paul Levitz does use in story. Quislet helps Wildfire create a solid energy form outside of the suit for a while. I did a Quislet jack-o-lantern a few years ago.
I love the Super-mobile so I was thrilled when I saw this in Xum’s Who!
I’m confused. Who am I supposed to hold down/and or punch? I’ll just sic Cindy on you. You both know she hits hard!
I wish I had a vintage Simon. I think I had the pocket version as a kid. It was too big to fit in your pocket, but was smaller with a longer handle part coming out of the disc.
It’s probably because I’m such a fan of all the style guide / merchandising artwork they produced in the 60s, but I prefer Anderson’s inks on Infantino. No doubt Bob Smith actually sticks closer to Carmine’s then very abstract and ethereal pencils, though. I always thought Cluemaster looked cool too. Batman #336 is indeed a fantastic issue!
In our coverage of the first arc in Waid/Mora’s World’s Finest over on Knightcast, Ryan and I commented how Rita had switched from skirt to biker shorts. Probably due to the Apache Chief case handled by Harvey Birdman, Attorney-At-Law.
Kyle Baker on Curt Swan IS a nice combo! And I usually hate those type of advant garde artists over the old masters. I’m looking at Aparo/Bill Sink-o-vitch(sp). Blech. But Swan was far more illustrative than almost any inker ever captured. Just look at how Al Williamson inked him in the later days of his Superman run. Beautiful stuff!
Speaking of Swan, love his and Xum’s Supermobile entry! My love for that ship really comes from Super Friends. I had the Corgi Jr. as a kid, but didn’t get the full size one until a few years ago. Kenner let me down by changing the design in the Super Powers line, but McFarlane rectified that with a fully on-model version a few years back. The fists punch!!!
Oh, and don’t you dare stop the Randomizer noises! I think Rob may be the next MIchael Winslow from the Police Academy films!
I love this show.
Animal Man: I first met him as one of the Forgotten Heroes in DC Comics Presents, but his solo series hit right as I had stopped getting comics for a bit. So the New 52 Jeff Lemire run is the standard for me. It had that great combination of really weird stuff and family relationships to which Shag alluded. And his entry allows for a cameo by the one, the only Angle Man!
Good call on Captain Boomerang as a villain followed by a heroic legacy character.
I appreciate Cluemaster because he fathered Spoiler, but by himself he never did much for me. And I had forgotten that this entry was before we discovered that his name is Arthur Brown. Crazy World, I guess.
My favorite entry is definitely the Global Guardians. I love that concept so much and several of the characters have great potential IMO. Their debuts in the Super Friends book were some of the first comics I remember reading. Back in June, I picked up a new copy of their appearance in DC Comics Presents #46. And since I’m a big Infinity Inc. fan, I quite liked their encounter w/ the Infinitors. I didn’t know about Justice League Europe so I’ll be on the lookout for those issues too. I find a lot of joy in weird or off-beat teams such as Infinity Inc., Global Guardians, Great Ten, Freedom Fighters, and others. I guess what Yukon Cornelius said of Rudolph and Hermey could be said of me: Even among misfits, I’m a misfit!
You know, it could never happen now, but for a while I really wanted Kaley Cuoco to play Power Girl, but Rob’s right, Sweeney would work now. Of course, Byrne’s version of Elasti Girl really looks like 90’s Tiffani Thiessen when she was really hot. Captain Boomerang didn’t really become a star until he fought Batman and joined the Suicide Squad. Something about the Barry Allen pre Crisis Flash that just didn’t quite cause that. Same for Weather Wizard. I’m surprised Rob didn’t mention Adventure Comics 450 a Jim Aparo issue where he fought Aquaman and didn’t come off like a total dork.
I laughed out loud multiple times throughout this show, and I needed it today. Thank you for a great episode!
Hello Rob , Shag and Randomiser (Which I think we can all agree is the 3rd leg in this tripod of talent … or the 3rd of the Stooges depending on your point of view),
It’s been a while that I’ve been able to listen to Who’s Who Review and remember to post comments in the same week of release, I’ll spare you all my previous unpublished thought and comments as who has time to go back and read old comments on previous episodes these days?
Anyway to the episode in question.
Dr Light (II) one of the greatest mysteries of all mysteries in the DCU is why on earth Dr Light (II) didn’t join the JL or even the JLI until after the Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha (I’ve taken that too far) years. I can only imagine this was a gag that they wanted to set up and then go “See Max can’t have it his own way” sort of thing. When you think about it one third of the team from that famous first issue cover are gone by issue 7. I was first introduce to Dr Light (II) in of course Crisis on Infinite Earths issue 4. I honestly thought she would end up being a big deal and yet somehow DC just can’t figure out what to do with her… Perhaps it really was the whole “We don’t want to copy Marvel” angle.
Now a confession – I didn’t actually know who Sydney Sweeny was until I looked her up after this episode. I can sort of see why she would be a good fit for Power Girl based on her … um…. er…. lets go with resemblance. However as it’s been pointed out having Power Girl in live action opens too many issues. Unless of course she appears via the Peacemaker route which has … well I don’t want to spoil it … made it plausible to have both PG and SG in the same universe. That being said I thought the face on the Staton art was too cartoonish and I’m not that impressed with it.
Animal Man was a highlight both both as a solo book and as part of the Justice League Europe. I have to admit I sort of drifted out of Animal Man when it started going weird. Vertigo isn’t really where I want to encounter my Superheroes – which is why I didn’t “get” Doom Patrol when they moved into that wheelhouse. That being said that run before things went really nuts was fantastic and I suspect I probably baled too soon and should go back to read what I missed. What I do recall vividly from that run is issue 11 and the Vixen campfire page… I’m sure Shag knows exactly what I’m talking about. More to the point why no-one has made an Animal Man live action TV Show is beyond me. I don’t think he’s suited to be a tentpole movie but a TV show – set in California with a Stunt Man and powers which are easily understandable ? This should be on James Gunn’s Radar.
With the Global Guardians including Fire, Ice and Tasmanian Devil i’m wondering if this episode had the highest number of JLI/E members? I only knew of the GG from their appearances in the JLI era. When you hear the name of the group and you’d think on paper such a team should be one of the premier line ups of DC Comics – then you see the actual membership and it’s like the Legion of Substitute heroes of the 20th Century. I’m sure I will hear Peacemaker make a joke about them – my money would be on Bushmaster, but I wouldn’t rule out “Wild Huntsman” being the butt of a joke either. And yes the art is fantastic but I wasn’t aware Ice Maiden could fly on a snowflake or that Godiva similarly can fly, I can’t help but wonder if they forgot Godiva and Eduardo Barretto hurriedly traced his own work in Titans of Starfire to draw Ms G.
There’s much I’d like to talk about but I think I’m already running long – so I’ll finish my comments with Quislet who i LOVED in the Legion and I think he has been sorely missed in the reboots etc. That intake of Tellus, Quislet and Sensor Girl was my favourite run of Legion pre Magic wars. Its such a shame that all the modern revivals just haven’t managed to catch on. Maybe because all the modern runs are written by old folks in their 50s and they need to fine another 14 year old like Jim Shooter was to write it bringing some of the soap opera / manga / anime energy just without the art style. Quislet was one of my favourites and I often wondered if they were going to make him a 5th dimensional imp somehow – if I was bringing him/her now that’s what I’d do.
Overall this episode was laugh a minute (well maybe not exactly that pace) and it was well worth my time – the feedback section alone was worth the entrance fee.
Keep up the good word and the Randomiser noises.
I forgot to mention the Supermobile hasn’t appeared in LEGO format yet but I’ve built my own and then DC Dave did a different and better version. You can see out efforts online somewhere I’m sure.
Another great episode. My thoughts…
— My sister had that Simon game and I hated it. At first, you think, “Hey, I’m pretty good at this,” and then after about two minutes, you can’t keep up, your brain starts melting, and you begin thinking you’re a complete dummy. It was such a tease.
— I saw “Weird Al” Yankovic in concert last week, and the show included many interstitial videos (he and his band had to change costumes so many times). One segment showed a montage of Al’s cartoon voiceover appearances, including when he was Darkseid in Teen Titans Go! (I had no idea about that; who thought of that casting?). I was waiting for an Animal Man appearance, but alas, no dice. One of the few disappointments of an excellent show; go see him if you are at all able.
— I also like this Power Girl listing—she’s so damn cute, and I agree the scoop-neck top is her best look—but I prefer the ’90s retcon that established her as especially tall and beefy. I feel like that started in her JLE era, but it was for sure in effect during Johns’s JSA run, when she was clearly over six feet and looked like a body-builder—it fit with her hothead personality, and differentiated her from Supergirl (not to mention most other superheroines). So no, please no Sydney Sweeney; give me six-foot-three Elizabeth Debicki.
— Rob, I don’t understand your hatred of Quislet (beyond your general Legion aversion). I was especially into LSH when he joined, he was a refreshing change of pace from the typical Legionnaire who looked like any typical white person you could find in downtown Boise, Idaho. Yes, I understand why—it was the ’60s—but the LSH was supposed to bring together heroes from throughout the galaxy, so it’s lack of diversity was especially puzzling.
— I first heard of the Scavenger when he was listed under “Villains” on Aquaman’s Super Powers info card. In fact, if memory serves, the card listed four villains (Scavenger, Black Manta, Ocean Master, and Fisherman), the same four who got Who’s Who listings—coincidence? (Meanwhile, as a kid, I fantasized that every villain listed for all the heroes would eventually get an action figure. The Duke of Deception would’ve been a massive seller.)
— Weather Wizard was always one of my least-favorite Rogues, partly because his power is such an overdone villain trope. (That was one of my many, many criticisms of the JLI TV pilot, all due respect to Jose Ferrer.) But this might be the same reason why WW served as a utility villain for so long; he was even the antagonist for arguably DC’s strangest team-up of the ’80s, Superman and the Nestle Quik Bunny. (Yes, I owned that. No, I don’t recall it being very good.) Also, his weather powers seemed very inconsistent to me—this listing says it covers only a small area, but during the COIE villain war, he got a rainstorm going that seemed to engulf all of Earth-4, which made for a dramatic battle scene. (God, I love that issue.)
— Chalk me up as yet another who remembers the Supermobile as being used primarily in those times when Supes was depowered, so this idea that it moves via his flight powers doesn’t track. Oh well. For me, the Supermobile will always bring to mind that freaky Super Friends episode where the Man of Steel is piloting the ship (the “super-moble,” as he pronounces it), falls through a black hole into an alternate dimension (as one does), saves Krypton from exploding, and then finds that Earth has been decimated by the Legion of Doom, with a heavily traumatized Robin hiding in the wreckage of the Hall of Justice. Then he goes back to Krypton and tearfully lets it explode. Totally freaked me out as a six-year-old.
— I agree that the Doom Patrol TV show made a critical improvement to Elasti-Girl with the gooey melting aspect of her character, because yes, just changing size doesn’t in any way make her a freak. TBH, that’s something that always bothered me about the DP—they never seemed as strange as they were purported to be (at least until Morrison came along). I mean, phrase it the right way, and any superteam is a collection of weirdos. “Behold the bizarre assemblage that is the Justice League! A man who can breathe underwater! A living Greek goddess! A rubbery detective who can stretch to amazing lengths! An android with tedious emotions! Two men who merge to create a dude whose head is on fire!” Etc.
— I…Vampire: One detail I will always remember from the first time you covered this entry was when Shag (or maybe it was Rob) said the main drawing looks like Bennett is impatiently waiting for his kids to take out the trash. Speaking from experience, Papa Matthews?
— Another villain whose legacy was picked up by a hero: Chronos. Though I take it the dude who had his own series was more of a tweener than a pure hero—still, close enough I’d say.
Whatever Happened To…?
Animal Man: Buddy is a member in good standing with Justice League Unlimited. He has had some rough personal times since the loss of his son Cliff. His daughter, Maxine, is Animal Girl and is a good friend of Wally West’s daughter, Iris. He was just seen helping the Questions (Renee and Vic) battle the Cyborg Superman on the Justice League Watchtower.
Captain Boomerang: Digger’s son Owen, tried to bring his dad back during Darkest Night by giving Digger’s Black Lantern corpse people to kill, including kids. When the other Rogues found out what he had done, they gave him to Black Lantern Digger, who killed him. Ironically, he was resurrected a short time later in Brightest Day (Owen was restored to life due to Dr. Manhattan’s manipulations of the Multiverse). Since then, Boomerang has been a part of various incarnations of the Suicide Squad and was under Waller’s command during her attempted global coup d’etat in Absolute Power.
Cluemaster: Arthur Brown has faked his death several times, always coming back to torment his daughter. He was last seen being taken to jail after accidentally fatally shooting Spoiler (she was saved by fellow Batgirl Cassandra Cain using Lazarus Serum).
Doctor Light: Kimiyo is a member in good standing with Justice League Unlimited. She was a key member of Damian Wayne’s team that searched the Multiverse for a way to defeat Deathstroke during the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Elasti-Girl: Along with the rest of the Doom Patrol, Rita is on a mission to find and help all new Metahumans navigate their altered reality. They know that the vast majority don’t want to be heroes of villains. They just want to live their lives. She still has a good relationship with her son, Beast Boy, but has left Mento and is now with Flex Mentallo. She and the rest of the Doom Patrol are currently guest starring in Titans.
The Global Guardians: The events of Doomsday Clock fragmented the members into various national superhero teams. Since that time, there have been several groups that have emerged with a similar mission.
The Eurocorps (Justice League Europe): Crimson Fox, Nightrunner, Wild Hunstman, Little Mermaid, Fleur-de-Lis, The Hunchback, and the Thief of Arts
The New Global Guardians: Tasmanian Devil, Jack O’Lantern, Jet, and Freedom Beast
The Official Global Guardians: Belphegor, Thunderlord, and Owlwoman
Intercorps: Red Star, Tuatura, Rising Sun, and Ghost-Maker
They attempted to reorganize into one team during Absolute Power, but their infighting led to them all being drained of their powers and captured by Amanda Waller.
There are also quite a few national teams, including: The People’s Heroes (Russia), Knights, Inc. (United Kingdom), The Outsiders (Markovia), Hayoth (Israel), The Doomed (India), The Great Twenty (China), Justiça (Mexico), The Super-Malon (Argentina), and The Kingdom (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
I…Vampire: Andrew Bennett is now the Lord of Vampires and uses his position to keep his people from terrorizing the living. For a time, he was a member of Justice League Dark. He was last seen in the New History of the DC Universe. (On Earth-63, Bennett was one of the first victims of the new Vampire order under control of Dick Grayson. He was killed trying to warn the Justice League.)
Nemesis Kid: Hart Druiter was one of the metahumans recruited by Dominus to thwart the heroes that were sent to stop him in Generations Forged/Shattered. He was wiped out by the “Goneness” while fighting Superboy and Steel in a prehistoric world.
Plasmus: Otto has had a fairly low profile in recent years. He is still a part of the Brotherhood of Evil and was part of that group’s attempt to merge General Immortus and the Candlemaker.
Power Girl: Paige’s mental powers and astral punch were a result of the Lazarus Planet event, which messed up some heroes’ powers. They both dissipated with time. She just finished up her series, where she reestablished her fortune, started a new company called Stargraze, and ceded the name of Karen Starr to the villain Ejectra, saying she no longer had a need for it.
Quislet: Sadly, Quislet hasn’t really been seen since before the New 52. They and the Legion helped the Superman family stop General Zod’s army, Brainiac, and rescued scores of bottled cities and helped the people in them repopulate. He was briefly seen during the Infinitus Saga, but it has never been truly established which version of the Legion that was.
Scavenger: Peter Mortimer has upgraded his suit in recent years. It now can create electrical shocks, interface with nearly any computer, and teleport. He was last seen being taken into custody after being in a three-way fight with Black Manta and the Aquaman Family.
The Weather Wizard: Marco Mardon is still a part of the Rogues and still goes up against various Flash Family members. He is currently being manipulated by Eclipso (along with the rest of the Rogues) into fighting a war against an army of Wally Wests on the Moon.
The Supermobile: Although it has yet to be used, a Supermobile was developed by SuperCorp during the time Lex Luthor gave control of LexCorp to Superman. Since LexCorp has recently been reestablished and control given to Mercy Graves, all tech and resources of SuperCorp are now in her possession. She claims that she is still on his side and will always help him. Time will tell…
Animal Man debuted in 1966’s Strange Adventures #195. Buddy Baker had already been around for over a year, but he started out with plainclothes adventures using variations on “The Man with Animal Powers,” and then jumped on the Batmania wagon with the costumed “A-Man.” They finally settled on Animal Man, complete with the Who’s Who logo, but punted it to the second feature. Maybe Jack Schiff was getting sick of having to accommodate super-heroes in his former sci-fi/horror anthologies? Anyway, I have a soft spot for Animal Man because he guest-starred in my first Wonder Woman comic, but the logo predated that.
The Ill Mac once got on my case because I kept referring to myself as “short,” probably because most of my friends were taller than me (including Mac,) but his younger brother was not (and apparently touchy about it.) I’m sure Rob calling Captain Boomerang “short” at 5’9″ is relative to the baseline 6’0″ for characters in the DCU, but we’ve got a lot of short kings in the audience that maybe bristle at that? 5’9″ is literally the average height of adult men in the U.S. and Australia.
I always liked Cluemaster’s look too, but I guess in another light, he looks like a pumpkin egregiously laced with Viagra. I also feel bad for young Rob getting let down by Dr. Light II, but I guess Wolfman & Perez were also pioneers in “gifting” a character to a comics line in a crossover event, and that gift ending up buried in somebody’s closet like a moldy fruitcake.
I only read the terrible Crucifer arc in JLA and the League guest appearances in Byrne’s Doom Patrol, but I have to assume this was another instance of the creator trying to restore characters to his childhood default, and his being the only person wanting that. As I recall, he drew the Doom Patrol’s Secret Origins Annual?
I love how Eduardo Barreto presents the Global Guardians so much here. They look like what they’re supposed to be– the Justice League of the World. So of course in a universe where anyone who threatens Superman’s supremacy inevitably gets nerfed, the Guardian’s admittedly non-threat to the League was met with mockery, dissolution, and outright villainizing. There was an attempt at a redemption arc serialized in Justice League Quarterly, but we more or less rightly do not discuss Justice League Quarterly in these circles.
Maybe the problem with I, Vampire is trying to not present the bloodsucker as a villain, so he’s excessively passive. I agree that Kyle Baker was a good solution to another problem– Curt Swan still drawing comics in the 1980s. Rob can never ask why everyone thinks he hates the Legion and then go that hard on Quislet.
I’ve always liked Power Girl, even if she’s never rated favorite status, but casting Sydney Sweeney might cure me of that permanently. I never got the appeal behind the obvious, and that was before the dead-eyed opportunist quintuppled down on being low key (so somnambulantly “low key”) awful.
Did we manage to get through an entire episode of Who’s Who in the Saturday TV Funhouse without covering The Ambiguously Gay Duo or The X-Presidents (whose actual, no joke comic I may still have a copy of somewhere.) I’ll have to watch Too Funny To Fail just to see how it holds up against what I assumed was the uncontested funniest documentary of all time, The Aristocrats.
Maybe I brought it up during the original Kevin O’Neill discourse, but I never miss an opportunity to be pedantic: Surely the Green Lantern Corp back-up assignments came out of his visibility drawing aliens in the 2000 A.D. strip Nemesis the Warlock? They weren’t reprinted in the States until 1989, but DC was clearly looking at the BritBooks when they hired guys like Alan Moore and Alan Davis before anyone here had heard of them.
Since Shag has proven me wrong by actually initiating the recording process for Blue Devil #6 in the wake of halving Once Upon a Geek episodes in favor of Marvel Star Wars: From Empire to Jedi (but will regret being wrong in not doubling up with BD #7,) I’m going to angle to take another sixth of it’s production output and suggest we cover Manhunter (1988) #1-4 (then never touch that book again.)
I think Shag will agree that there’s already a Who The Hell?!? Podcast, but I called it DC Secret Files instead. I will suggest another contender though– some of the Fire & Water Network All-Stars should get together to produce a single episode of Who’s Who at Atlas Comics, to cover all their suspiciously familiar characters like The Scorpion and Demon Hunter.
You could get a decent series set in Hollywood with Animal Man, Blue Devil, Elasti-Girl, Beast Boy, Greg Sanders, Gregory Reed, Daphne Dean, and any other actor characters. Villains would be Clayface, both Basil and Hagen, and Film Freak.
Batman #322 features Boomer ‘ranging against Bruce.
Wolfman had the massive writer’s block after Crisis, cutting off a lot of his plans, presumably including Dr. Light. For his Plasmus art, see also Mark Waid drawing Proty.
The Swan/Baker art on Nemesis Kid has a real Mike Grell vibe.
For whatever reason, the DCAU Weather Wizard was wearing one of Chronos’s costumes.
Great episode, guys! I wonder – is Animal Man the most successful example of a completely new take on a character that still maintains all that came before? Maybe the Winter Soldier?
I hate to be “that” guy, but Batman 336 wasn’t written by Gerry Conway. It was plotted by Bob Rozakis and scripted by Roy Thomas. We have to credit Roy where it is due…because even if we don’t, I’m sure he’ll claim it anyway. I wholeheartedly agree that it is a great issue.
Shag, I found your comments about your wife’s “Who is Power Girl?” to be hilarious. It reminded me of when I was a young whippersnapper and had to depend on my mom to buy comics. Anytime I bought X-Men (because Storm), Teen Titans (because Starfire), or the Legion (because Saturn Girl, Shadow Lass, and Dawnstar), I had to make sure they were in the middle of the pile. Batman, Spider-Man, Hulk, Superman…put them on top. Totally off the subject, but my real “comic book crush” was Batgirl, and she was more covered-up than just about anyone.
When you mentioned Murphy Anderson liked to draw booties, I thought, “Well I’ve never noticed that.” Then, I realized you meant shoes and not the part of the human anatomy. I blame KC and the Sunshine Band.
You are correct. Conway took over the title with the very next issue, #337, so I just lumped that comic in with his run, which I enjoyed quite a bit. But yeah I got it wrong!
What a great set of characters! The randomizer sometimes is generous, but woe unto you when it is not. WOE, INDEED! Anyway, my random thoughts.
I daresay, the Animal Man entry might have singlehandedly given Buddy the mini-series that extended into his ongoing title. Just think, he was one of the first entries in Who’s Who, period. That alone might have raised his profile. In another timeline, this would have lead to an Angle Man ongoing!
Since Richard Dragon was mentioned in this episode, there’s actually a Captain Boomerang connection, too! I read the Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter omnibus on DCUI Ultra back in June, for research and funsies, saw in the final issue of the series (#18) a prisoner named “Harkness” speaking some bad Australian lingo, so it had to be Digger but with no mention of his Captain Boomerang identity! So that’s wild for being such a subtle nod to another DC character in that series, but also that 2 of the central characters from Suicide Squad appeared in the same comic about 10 years before that series.
Elasti-Girl by John Byrne was really great, and I’d forgotten he drew all of the original Doom Patrol member entries. I now wonder if that’s a nod to him being artist on the Fantastic Four at this time as well.
I had Super Friends #7 which debuted some of the Global Guardians back in the day, and they definitely seemed cool to young Tim, especially Seraph. My father the minister was less enthusiastic about the character’s origin, though.
Oh, the Power Girl artwork is gorgeous. Wait, she’s wearing a choker style band around her neck. Is *that* why I find those attractive? Whoops, I’ve said too much.
And I adore the Super-Mobile entry. I had that same issue featuring Amazo back in the day (gosh, I say that a lot). That story was bonkers, lives rent-free in my head, and the Super-Mobile was simply too awesomely retro. Great Xum’s Who addition!
Fun episode. I do not recall Scavenger at all, even though I’ve looked through Who’s Who so many times. I don’t think his uniform is even adequate to be a GI Joe character, let alone an Aquaman villain. The whole Scorpion Ship rotting water device thing may be a reference to scavenger bacteria, which remove oxygen from the water. Also, I think I hate DC wizards.
Elasti-Girl seems to be one of the few DC characters that I automatically associate with the actress. I usually like to keep my comic book imagination film free, but made an exception here.
My favorite character this issue is Power Girl, but my favorite entry is the Global Guardians. Seeing them in Super Friends and JLI, I always wanted more, but I certainly did not remember all their powers. Little Mermaid’s origin is insane “a mutant born in Atlantis, was able to change her legs to a fishtail and fly. But, as she could only 30 hrs underwater…”
I went though a short but memorable passionate Superman phase when I was about 4. I had a pair of red sneakers and I called my Mom “Lois”. The Corgi Supermobile was always my favorite Matchbox, more than the Batmobile. I’ve never read the comic book appearances, but I always assumed its primary purpose was to protect him from Kryptonite and the hands were to dispose of it.
Keep boop booing.
Fantastic show, guys. Love the energy. Fun group the beep boop beep thing picked “at random.”
Back-to-back Infantino man-spread entries is great. I love Boomerang in Ostrander’s Suicide Squad run. Plus nothing says “ready for battle” like a tightly wrapped, long-flowing scarf around the neck.
Really nice art for Dr. Light. Light seemed like she was going to be a big deal coming out of Crisis, but then she got Supergirl killed and the Justice League dumped her in an issue. Too bad. She had potential.
Love the Elasti-Girl Byrne art. The Global Guardians art is probably my favorite, but that logo makes it look like a subsidiary of Halliburton or something.
I HATED Nemesis Kid and the LSV storyline where he beats Karate Kid. First, hardly any of the Legionnaires got to fight their evil opposites. Second, I think I’m the only person who actually liked Karate Kid. And technically, Nemesis Kid didn’t kill KK. Nemesis Kid beat him up, then a bloody Karate Kid decked him as he flew up into some power thingy and blew it up, sacrificing himself to free Projectra’s backwater planet. So there.
How do you mess up a Power Girl entry? Mr. DeMille, she’s ready for her closeup.
Finally, I’m always amazed by Xum’s Who entries and the tireless work that went into them. Good on Isamu for continuing his dad’s legacy.