Newsboy L.E.G.I.O.N.

"Newsboy L.E.G.I.O.N." from L.E.G.I.O.N. '94 Annual #5 (DC, 1994) by Tom Peyer and Kieron Dwyer

Sorry about yet another silly LEGION cover, but they're so fun. Let's talk about the series itself, however. I was a big fan of LEGION (and REBELS too). It had the thrill of seeing prequeled references to concepts I liked already in the Legion of Super-Heroes. It didn't take itself too seriously. It had a callous super-smart character in Vril Dox, which I loved. And he was counter-balanced by a cast that had a big heart where he had only a head. May I say? It's just about the only place Lobo was standable other than his first two or three solo projects, after which the joke wasn't funny anymore. Through writer, artist and character changes, the book never became boring, and it may just be the best "space" book DC ever put out. Yes I'm including the Green Lantern Corps stuff.

Snapper Carr, Super-Traitor

"Snapper Carr, Super-Traitor" from Hourman #16 (DC, 2000) by Tom Peyer, Rags Morales, Dave Meikis and Andrew Hennessey

Yet another quirky series I have on my reading list, and the nice thing about quirky series is that they're pretty easy to collect. Hourman came out of DC One Million at a time when I wasn't able to afford so many comics, and it just fell through the cracks. But it seems made for me. A temporal hero gadding about DC continuity, becoming Snapper Carr's roommate, and intersecting with a Golden Age hero's story. That's got all my various interests bundled up in a 25-issue package. Well, I have no interest in becoming Snapper Carr's roommate, but every interest in seeing Snapper suffer through living with a superhero. So yeah, I should get down to completing the run and writing an Old52 article on it.

Lex Concord 2776 - The Future Is Now!

"Lex Concord 2776 - The Future Is Now!" from The Heckler #6 (DC, 1993) by Keith Giffen, Tom & Mary Bierbaum and Steve Mitchell

It's not because it's not Ambush Bug that Giffen can't throw a fake comic book cover (a Kirby tribute, no less) at us! The Heckler only lasted 6 issues before DC pulled the plug, showing how that man never got the credit he deserved. IS THERE a comics pro who's had MORE series cancelled prematurely out from under him? The Heckler was a crazy mix of Ambush Bug and the Creeper, and held a lot of promise. My favorite villain was the Generic Man. I wish we'd spent more time in Delta City. Giffen brought the Heckler's hometown back in Doom Patrol, but not the hero himself. He was rescued from Limbo by Superman during Final Crisis too... Comedy heroes, like mister Giffen himself, don't get no respect in the DCU, especially these days.

Minor Problem on Earth-6

"Minor Problem on Earth-6" from Ambush Bug: Year None #1 (DC, 2008) by Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming and Al Milgrom

In the more recent Ambush Bug mini, I missed Giffen's older art style, and must admit I preferred Buggy's relationship to Julius Schwartz to the one he now has with Dan DiDio. Year None seemed to have so much pent-up satire about the DCU that it became an exercise in taking the piss out of every crossover event of the 2000s. It seemed angry with the state of the DCU, going so far as maddeningly omitting issue 6 (of 7) from existence as a statement on book lateness and numbering shenanigans. Even so, it had some delightful call backs to DC's long history, such as the checkered banners and JLA transformation stories of the 60s (above).

The Sentry, Super-Seamstress

"The Sentry, Super-Seamstress" from Age of the Sentry #3 (Marvel, 2009) by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover

My Son Lyrl Is a Junkie!

"My Son Lyrl Is a Junkie!" from L.E.G.I.O.N. '94 Annual #5 (DC, 1994) by Tom Peyer, M.D. Bright and Romeo Tanghal

Tales to Annoy

"Tales to Annoy" from Dark Horse Presents vol.2 #3 (Dark Horse, 2011) by Michael T. Gilbert (after Jack Kirby)

Ambush Bug Via Rob Liefeld

"Ambush Bug Via Rob Liefeld" from Ambush Bug Nothing Special (DC, 1992) by Keith Giffen, Robert Lauren Fleming, Al Gordon and Bob Oksner

Unseemly Adventure Comics

"Unseemly Adventure Comics" from Ambush Bug Year None (DC, 2008) by Keith Giffen, Robert Lauren Fleming and Al Milgrom

Big Fat Freakin' Frogs

"Big Fat Freakin' Frogs" from Secret Origins vol.2 #48 (DC, 1990) by Keith Giffen, Robert Lauren Fleming and Bob Lewis

Amber Butane

"Amber Butane" from Son of Ambush Bug #1 (DC, 1986) by Keith Giffen, Robert Lauren Fleming and Bob Oksner

The Uh-Oh Squad

"The Uh-Oh Squad" from Action Comics vol.1 #565 (DC, 1985) by Keith Giffen, Robert Lauren Fleming and Bob Oksner

These guys appear in Son of Ambush Bug, but having missed this particular issue at the time, it seemed completely out of left field. But since the Bug is ALWAYS out of left field, I didn't question it!

Mutant Romance

"Mutant Romance" from What If? Astonishing X-Men #1 (Marvel, 2010) by Mike Gallagher and Dave Manak

The Unforgiving Eye

"The Unforgiving Eye" from Bulletproof Coffin #1 (Dark Horse, 2010) by David Hine and Shaky Kane

I, Were-Terrier

"I, Were-Terrier" from I, Zombie #6 (Vertigo, 2010) by Chris Roberson and Mike Allred

You're reading I, Zombie, right?