Random Back Issues #82 - Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #9

From back before Geoff Johns was a big wheel at DC, with a remarkable lack of gratuitous, graphic violence. Still plenty of trying to explain continuity stuff, though. Is it coincidence that every time I try to type his name I spell it "Geoof"? Probably not.

Courtney Whitmore's been wearing the Star-Spangled Kid's old cosmic belt thing for a few months, while her step-dad Pat uses a powered armor he built. His son from a previous marriage, Mike, showed up unexpectedly, and this somehow turns into the story of how Pat could be an adult sidekick in the 1940s, and still be filling that role in the year 2000. It's not that weird, ask Dick Grayson.

In 1948, the Seven Soldiers of Victory get summoned by The Spider to defeat a new weapon of some old enemy of theirs. The old enemy is The Hand, the new weapon is the Nebula Man, 'a being whose touch has the power of twenty atomic bombs.' I can't remember if there even were 20 atomic bombs worldwide in 1948. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientist says the U.S. had 50 that year, but we're still a year away from the Soviets having one.

Anyway, the Spider got Pat plans for a "nebula rod" that he's sure that will be enough power, right before he collapses. He had a map of The Hand's hideout, so the Soldiers head out to save St. Louis. Guess The Hand was a Cubs' fan, the stupid bastard. They better not let anything happen to Stan Musial.

One problem: The Spider's not actually a hero, which Billy Gunn (a friend of Vigilante's) shows up to tell them. Shows up too late, and gets an arrow in the neck. The only Soldier still there is Crimson Avenger's sidekick Wing, who beats the Spider. But Spider removed a key piece of the nebula rod, so it's not going to work. I guess rest of the team's finding the Nebula Man would be bad news, then. 

Well crap. Crimson Avenger uses the rod right as Wing shows up, but all that happens is everyone gets teleported to Tibet. Wing replaces the piece and uses the weapon himself, at the cost of his life (and possibly Crimson Avenger's sanity.) After two panels in a lava lamp, everyone's separated. Pat lands in ancient Egypt, spending a week as a slave. Starman, Hourman and 'some guy named Batman' Pat never heard of show up to rescue him and get captured. Great rescue. Prince Khufu, who I think is Hawkman eventually, helps them escape, but Pat learns he and the others are now 40 years in their future while only a week older. The exception is Vigilante, who spent 20 years in the Old West before anyone showed up. Because Johnny Thunder's an incompetent dolt, according to Pat. Checks out.

Star-Spangled Kid went on to join the JSA, and Pat tried to move on with his life. Married Mike's mom in Vegas, but neglected her and she left. Moved to L.A. with Mike to be tech guy for Infinity Inc., but Star-Spangled Kid died and Pat lost custody. Mike ended up in military school, but got himself kicked out by taking in a dog, which he named Patton, so he's moving in with his dad again. Brought the dog, too.

The Spider came up in James Robinson's Starman, since the Shade killed the one shown here, as this issue references, and his descendant came looking for revenge later. Johns even references the fact this version of Vigilante went on to open a bunch of chain steakhouses, which I first learned from reading El Diablo. Don't know if that's where it was established. I know, Geoff Johns referencing obscure bits of continuity? Unheard of.

[10th longbox, 190th comics. Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. #9, by Geoff Johns (writer), Scott Kolins (penciler), Dan Davis (inker), Tom McCraw (colorist), Bill Oakley (letterer)]