Bass and Siskoid’s coverage of DC Comics Presents continues with issue #7 (March 1979) by Paul Levitz, Dick Dillin and Francisco Chiaramonte, starring Superman and the Red Tornado! It’s “The Paralyzed Planet Peril!”
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Relevant images and further credits at: FW Team-Up Supplemental
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Thanks for the fun show, Uncle Siskoid and Uncle Bass.
Regarding the recurring pattern of Red Tornado destroying himself, page 26 of issue 14 of THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS stated that: “It has been theorized that in order to endow the android with power, [T.O.] Morrow trapped Ulthoon, the Tornado Champion (of JLA #17) inside the artificial body, where the computer brain took over the wind-being’s consciousness. It is apparent that the Red Tornado had a death urge — twice sacrificing himself to an explosion [in JLA #102 and #130]. Perhaps it was a subconscious attempt by the Tornado Champion to wreck the android in order to get out.”
This was written by Mark Gruenwald in late 1976/early 1977 (the AMAZING WORLD issue was released in March 1977), at least four years before Gerry Conway would incorporate this idea in his Red Tornado origin story in JLA #193.
This DCCP story is actually not the first time Qwardians migrated to the positive universe. Green Lantern Hal Jordan helped a group of “good Qwardians” relocate in Green Lantern (1960) #2, but he placed them on a habitable asteroid rather than try to find space for them to live on Earth.
I do wonder, though, if Superman had super-hypnotized the Australian leaders to provide the land for New Qward…
Here’s my idea for cross for the red tornadoes. Yes I think we need both the robot and the original teaming up with the terror that flaps in the night darkwing duck !. While out on patrol with the two red tornadoes. Are attacked by Mirror master who use a new mirror gadget to send them to alternate dimension of course it back fires and sends him there as well and they in up in st Kennard . As darkwing and stagmutt the duck turned Dino are fighting Quacker Jack and mega volt mirror master lands right on top the other villains who remind of his friends the rouges. And the robot red tornado helps the human red tornado land safely. Mirror master is now a rat and ma is now a duck . The villains escape via mirror master . And the darkwing an stagmutt help the tornadoes. What happens next … it will all end with the sinster six and justice ducks next issue with with art looking like the classic super friends TV show on the cover
As they face off . Will the tornadoes ever get home .
Hopefully this would include a cameo by “Rat Tornado” last seen in the classic “Crisis on Earth C-Minus” crossover with “Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew”. And, also hopefully, in Rat Tornado’s thought balloon would mention how “Ma Hunkle as a duck reminds me of that malleable mallard: Rubberduck”
Sure why not maybe we can have Rat tornado get drawn in with them when as I didn’t know him and we will throw in cyclone cause I forgot about her but I want her to be the same age as goslin but I won’t her to be ma’s side kick and have wizard of oz gear in her secret identity. Cause I’ve never seen goslin with any friends that are girls
I definitely bought this one off the rack and remember reading it many times. Why? Because even as a kid I struggled with the ‘how does any of this techno-babble make sense ?’ I can let a lot of comic stuff wash over me but this one was a bit too much.
I have never been a Red Tornado fan but at least this one didn’t seem to have the near-mandatory scene where he wonders how Kathy could love him and then the little girl Traya hugs him and he smiles. Uuuggghhhh!!!
As for the mass hypnosis power, this I could buy mostly because I had read Superman #330 in which it was revealed that he is always low-level hypnotizing people, making them see a frailer, older Clark Kent. It seemed reasonable at the time as a way to explain how glasses alone make his secret identity work.
Another fun episode. I really enjoy hearing you both go over these 70s era books, especially since that’s not exactly in your wheelhouse.
This one is exactly what I imagine a pre-crisis DC book to be and I had a lot of fun with it. These books tend to feel like they are telling us to shush and just enjoy the ride. Don’t worry about continuity or if this makes sense. Just read it and then toss it in a pile. Who cares where the Q people are.
I never do team-up ideas here, but this one made me think of teaming Red Tornado up with Robert Smith from The Cure and they collaborate on the longest, saddest, most efficient shoegaze song ever. Unfortunately they split up at the end of the issue over creative differences.