ONCE UPON A BLUE DEVIL – BLUE DEVIL #4!
Our coverage of the classic 1980s BLUE DEVIL comic series continues with BLUE DEVIL #4, plus the Blue Devil pages from DC SAMPLER #2, both cover dated September 1984! Diabolu Frank and The Irredeemable Shag find their joy alongside Dan Cassidy as he arm wrestles Superman, flirts with Zatanna, and comes face-to-face with Nebiros again! Finally, we wrap up with YOUR listener feedback and we fan-cast Sharon Scott!
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Life is short. Focus on the positive. Find Your Joy.
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Random “nerd glasses adjustment” comment: since demon magic was used to trap Dan in the suit, and Superman is vulnerable to magic, it would have been fun to have part of a “post arm wrestling flick” panel where Superman is seen massaging his hand after Blue Devil was squeezing it as hard as he could.
Shag and Frank,
Great episode! I love the flirtation between Dan and Zee. This issue shows that they would have made a wonderful couple! I love how assertive Zee is portrayed in this era in romantic relationships. She flirts with Dan and later will put the moves on Chuck Patton, I mean Dale Gunn in JLA Detroit.
Blue Devil’s trident is one of the great weapons in the DCU. What are some of your favorites?
Another great episode
Wonder if Sylvester McCoy could be the big
Bad for blue devil and as playing the blue devil I’d choose a pro wrestler diamond Dallas page .
Just my ideas for casting .
You guys are asking questions I normally only hear on oHOTmu or NOT/Who’s Hot & Who’s Not. I’ll have to tell the Girls.
Since I was still just starting on monthly collecting, I hadn’t seen much of integrating brand new characters into the DCU. So I loved seeing this progression of having Superman guest star last month, and now 3 Leaguers make appearances. It’s old hat to me now, but it’s nice to revisit when this felt novel. And a Zatanna team-up is perfect for BD. Such a great issue. Yes, I also loved Nebiros climbing through that panel toward the reader. Sweet stuff.
For casting Sharon, the stuntman angle kept making me think of Heather Thomas from The Fall Guy TV show. But another thought is Lisa Kudrow who could bring a lot of the zaniness for Sharon.
Thanks for this fun trip down memory lane.
Great to have another episode, you little demons. I remember this issue, it’s a lot better than the cover, which is a rare Paris Collins ‘meh’ for me. I know Dan is taller now but he looks out of proportion to Zee, and her rosy cheeks look like bruises. The main problem is that Nebiros is lost in the composition.
I tend to forget that Zatanna costume was designed by George Perez as it was first drawn in JLA by Don Heck. I don’t think it’s Scarlet Witch inspired, the only thing it really has in common is the uncomfortable-looking headpiece. Anyway, it’s great, bar the naff ‘Z’ earrings.
I hate the way Paris Cullins draws Ralph here, he looks like a psycho – the face is completely off model.
Regarding the height difference between Dan and the Blue Devil suit, I think there’s a bit of overthinking going on – the difference between 6 foot eight and 6 foot two is only a pair of horns.
Not getting into the whole how hot is Zatanna debate but it was only recently that I realised that her 80s Superhero Costume was designed to look like she had her waist coat effect on a white shirt. I think that’s something that stands out in the art from Paris Cullins! I do think this is her best costume however and I wish DC Would go back to it more often – it’s not always about just black and white for her.
Anyway great show, always fun to have Frank on the show and hearing about Blue Devil. I am re-reading the book as this coverage goes along and thank goodness for DC Infinite as I have huge gaps in my collection. How BD hasn’t gotten a proper trade is beyond me. But I had issues 1, 2, 3 and 5. So this issue was all new and all fun to me. However after issue 5 – I have huge gaps mainly because BD just didn’t show up in my newsagent (or I suspect my friend was getting to the store quicker than I was) until a few issues around Crisis (I want to say between issue 18 to 22?) and the Annual. So I am all in on this journey to find out what I missed out all those years ago. However I do worry that a 3 issues a year … I might need to skip ahead on the reading since I don’t have 9 years to wait 🙂
I’m with you Kat, let’s have this as a bi-monthly show! You can do it boys, just sleep less.
Not getting into the whole how hot is Zatanna debate but it was only recently that I realised that her 80s Superhero Costume was designed to look like she had her waist coat effect on a white shirt. I think that’s something that stands out in the art from Paris Cullins! I do think this is her best costume however and I wish DC Would go back to it more often – it’s not always about just black and white for her. Anyway great show, always fun to have Frank on the show and hearing about Blue Devil. I am re-reading the book as this coverage goes along and thank goodness for DC Infinite as I have huge gaps in my collection. How BD hasn’t gotten a proper trade is beyond me. But I had issues 1, 2, 3 and 5. So this issue was all new and all fun to me. However after issue 5 – I have huge gaps mainly because BD just didn’t show up in my newsagent (or I suspect my friend was getting to the store quicker than I was) until a few issues around Crisis (I want to say between issue 18 to 22?) and the Annual. So I am all in on this journey to find out what I missed out all those years ago. However I do worry that a 3 issues a year … I might need to skip ahead on the reading since I don’t have 9 years to wait
Whoops didn’t realise I was logged into Kat’s id when I was on the browser there hopefully fixed now.
Great coverage of a great issue…one of my favorites of the Blue Devil series. I’m a huge fan of the JLA satellite era so it was extra cool to see the first part of the story set on it. On page 1, it looked smaller than it should, though. I’m rereading the series in lockstep with your episodes for the first time since I bought the issues off the stands and they do more than hold up…so far they have surpassed what my memory was telling me. Co-starring some of my favorite leaguers, like Elongated Man and Zatanna was icing on the cake for this issue. And yes, I am in the bug-on-the-head costume camp for favorite Zee costume!
As you know, Zatanna’s reverse pronounced/spelled spells have varied over the years…sometimes just plain jane directives, and sometimes reversing the order of the words in addition to the spelling…but the almost poetic, rhythmic pattern to them as shown in this issue is great.
Regarding HeroesCon 2024, I too missed out, but being at HeroesCon 2023 was a great experience. Hopefully I can make 2025.
Also, I agree with you about Master Jailer having a great premise and being underused. I have a certain kinship with him, right Shag?
Shag and Frank, you have a great dynamic and thankfully thick skins! I loved the random grenades you lob at each other! Congrats, as this show has moved to near the top of my podcast listening!