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An understandably perturbed Paulie is fascinated as newspaper reports of more mystery men, and actual superheroes, appear - Flash, Zatara, the Spectre, Hawkman, the Sandman, Hourman - but Jimmy remains gung-ho, willing to take his chances with the Mob. It's not as if he sees a choice, having been born into Suicide Slum during the Great Depression. Finally, an encounter with the Atom and the Sandman seems set to spur them on to decide, one way or another, what path they'll choose.
Paulie, we know from the narrative set-up in which he shares his memories with an unknown interviewer, turns solid citizen. Jimmy? I guess we'll find out in future issues.
Or maybe not. That won't make this story any less satisfying. It's an intensely well-crafted piece by, apprpriately, three generations of storyteller. Comics legend Joe Kubert inks penciller son Andy, while Len Wein - who forged his own legend in the generation between the two - provides the story. Good-looking framing sequence by Wein and artist Scott Kolins apart, 'In the beginning' just reeks of the Thirties. Wein captures the speech rhythms of the day ('That's bullpuckey an' you know it!') while the Kuberts make the streets of Depression America sing.
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The tale reminded me of the Just a Story shorts DC published in the Forties, moral fables for the everyman. And given that the few I've seen were little gens, that's another compliment.
There's a second story, in which newshound Scoop Scanlon and snapper Rusty James - who appeared in the earliest issues of Action Comics - investigate appearances by Dr Fate and the Spectre and explain away their feats. Well, the logic goes, if a stage magician such as John Zatara can fake this sort of thing ...
The short, Snapshot: Reflection, features another accomplished script by Wein, while the illustrations are the work of JG Jones at his realistic best and colour artist Alex Sinclair. The look is gorgeous, naturalistic, but easily accommodates the supernatural moments.
Their combination of talent, craft and graft ensures none of the creators whose work features is likely to prove a flash in the pan; indeed, Kubert Sr and Wein have already gifted a lifetime of great stories and characters to us (think Sgt Rock, Hawkman, Tor, Wolverine, Swamp Thing, Human Target and more). DCU: Legacies is as much a tribute to the craft of the comics creator as the endurance of the characters themselves.
Mart, according to the traditions of the Kreativ Blogger Award, which oblige me to post the following in this thread where it doesn't actually belong, "I just wanted to let you know that I've nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger award":
ReplyDeletehttp://toobusythinkingboutcomics.blogspot.com/2010/05/if-nominated-i-will-accept-if-i-accept_21.html
I've written in the linked piece above why I've nominated you. I hope this message, for whatever it may be worth, finds you hale and hearty.
Colin Smith
TooBusyThinkingAboutMyComics
2000ADThisRemindsMeOfThat
Colin, thank you so much, I'm chuffed to bits. I'm going to start spreading the good feeling ...
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