Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Jonesing for John


adam strange archive
Originally uploaded by Scipio1.
What's wrong with this picture?

Well, nothing. Even though Adam Strange is a pathetic wish-fulfilment figure for those with Alien Saviour Syndrome, even though he's a pale Flash Gordon imitation, even though every story he's every starred in has exactly the same plot...

Adam Strange merits an archive volume. Why, without it, how would future generation be able to understand how lame Rannians are?

I didn't start this entry to snark on Corporal Finhead (that's just a bonus). This post is to echo the call of Devon (who erreth not) at Seven Hells for a

MARTIAN MANHUNTER Archive Volume.

Snarking is not required to point out the Martian Manhunter is more important than the Blackhawks (Sorry, H!), Enemy Ace, the friggin' Challengers of the Unknown, and, yes, Adam Strange, all of whom already have Archive Volumes.

Are they among the stars of a popular cartoon show and two comic books? Creo que no, mis amigos. Through his Detective John Jones identity, the Martian Manhunter tied DC's pulp past with its science fiction future, and he continues to help link DC's other iconic characters to one another.

You know, if you want to help make your dream Archive Volume become a reality, you can. The helpful folks at the Unofficial DCU Archive Volume site have already compiled lists of the appropriate stories that would need to be included in Volumes yet to come, but there are many more to be done and you can help. Detective Chimp isn't going to index himself, you know! So chip in and help the fine people who are going to make The Red Bee Archive Volume possible.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've at least been hoping that J'Onn would merit one of the Showcase collections, as it would make such a nice companion piece to the Green Arrow one that's already out. The only drawback to the black & white format is that we'd miss the subtle way the evil Martians were mostly yellow until they were rebooted to be all white. In any event, there needs to be a serious chronological reprinting of the Martian Manhunter's adventures somewhere, so that the glory that was his pre-Crisis brother, T'Omm J'Onzz, can once again be appreciated by the masses!

-Mindbender

Anonymous said...

I definitely agree re: Martian Mahunter Archives.

However, Green Arrow is easily more important to the DC Universe than many characters that have Archives (Black Canary, Sgt. Rock, and Kamadi, to name but a few), and where's his?

Anonymous said...

It is extremely odd that Aquaman has an Archive, and Green Arrow doesn't, given that GA has long been the more popular of that pair. I guess membership in the Super-Friends really does have its privleges.

-Mindbender

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I actually DO know how to spell "privileges". Darn typo...

-Mindbender