The Adventures in the DC Universe title had come a long way. With its anthology-format and forever-changing cast of characters, each issue has shone light on new corners and areas of the previously unexplored DC Animated Universe. In the years before Justice League Unlimited, this was what fans of the animated universe were crying out for. Therefore, it’s a great shame that with the title’s nineteenth issue, DC pulled the plug. If you read the editorial in that final issue, editor Kevin Dooley writes that the “sales just were not there.” Money and success are what usually makes or breaks a title. It’s tragic that such a title lasted less than two years, especially because it seemed that it was exploring an endless cave of treasures. The decision is all the more painful considering the quality and creativity of the title’s final issues.
Adventures in the DC Universe 15-19 – published from June to October 1998 – were written by Steve Vance with art by John Delaney, Ron Boyd, and Steve Cooper. Aside from the first issue – a split issue with two stories – each issue contains a full-length tale.
ISSUE FIFTEEN --- Out Of The Dark Cloud
Adventures in the DC Universe 15 isn’t Captain Marvel’s first appearance in this title. After all, that tale in the title’s seventh issue was a definitive adventure, with the stars of the Shazam family on show and the Big Red Cheese’s foes at their most cunning. Here, Vance pens a more rudimentary story with a sprinkle of intrigue. It begins with Captain Marvel doing what he is known for – fighting the criminals of Fawcett City. All seems so predictable, with the childish giant gallantly crushing his underworld foes. Away from that tense scene, Billy Batson must continue in his role as a young up-and-coming reporter and balance his two worlds without any eyebrows being raised. The drama of the story comes not with Captain Marvel’s battles with the underworld, but with the failure of the hero’s powers to function correctly. He can transform by shouting ‘Shazam’, but his transformation keeps on going wrong and he becomes stuck as a child with weakened powers – another Captain Marvel Junior. Captain Marvel calls upon the Wizard for aid, and in only a scant number of panels, the Wizard confronts Zeus – he begrudgingly allows Captain Marvel to enjoy his full powers once more. This tale is only twelve pages. While Vance spends plenty of time focusing on the underworld duels, barely any spotlight is placed on the drama between the Gods. Some may consider that a good thing – such mystical concepts can grow tiresome. However, within this very basic story, a much more promising premise can be dissected. Why did the Wizard place such titanic powers in the hands of a child? Maybe such a focus would have made for a better story. That said, this one won’t offend many.
Battle Royal
The second half of Adventures in the DC Universe 15 certainly has humour on its side. With Aquaman as the star, the poor King of Atlantis must spend his days listening to the banal complaints of his subjects. Why Aquaman doesn’t just get his lowly assistants to help with such a task is beyond me. Nevertheless, Aquaman requires a break from such pestering. However, he ends up falling through a vortex (as you do) and he ends enjoying a major role in a tale of legends, specifically an Arthurian one. Deep under the ocean, Aquaman finds the Sword of Excalibur, with the Lady of the Lake in desperate need of assistance while Morgan Le Fey aims to take the item for herself. Why Vance decided Aquaman would fit perfectly into a story like this one is beyond me. Despite Morgan Le Fey’s power and reputation, Aquaman beats her with ridiculous ease once her genuinely frightening minions refuse to listen to her. That said, it’s a quick and enjoyable romp, topped off with the King of Atlantis meeting the King of Britain himself (if you believe the legends).
ISSUE SIXTEEN --- The Fix
For a comic book clearly aimed at younger readers, some may be surprised at the gritty narrative for Adventures in the DC Universe 16. However, seasoned readers would cheer and beam with joy. Featuring Green Lantern and Green Arrow as the protagonists in a story about drug warfare will take the minds of many backs to the days of hard-travelling heroes as they discovered the darkness within American cities and families. The 1970s was a time when comics were beginning to reflect themes of realism not for shock value, but for education and hard-hitting storytelling. This issue very much continues with that tradition. Kyle Rayner and Connor Hawke – the emerald heroes of the present - meet with a man called Cleveland, a man who remembers the viridian heroes of the past. Ultimately, this is a personal tale, and a dark one. Cleveland’s sister’s son is desperate to be an artist – he is constantly in awe of Kyle Rayner’s artistic talents. However, a secret is being hidden from the child. His brother, Lewis, is a drug dealer, specifically one of those who the original Green Lantern and Green Arrow fought against in the hard-travelling heroes’ era. This twist is already a good one, but then the story develops into a thrilling tale of dark drama. Lewis takes his younger brother as a hostage and attempts to sell drugs to him, with their blood-link unknown to both of them. Narratively speaking, Vance’s writing is like a thriller. Even with its necessary verbosity and detailing of such tragic backstories, the pacing and speed is cinematically fast. What’s more, with Vance opening with Lewis holding a gun to his brother head before returning to the past then building up to such a drama, the story has a flawless hook. Vance ends the story positively, with Connor and Kyle becoming the personal heroes of the child. It would have been easy to make such a gritty tale overtly dark or intrusively grim. However, with finesse and strong dialogue, Vance writes a story that would resonate with all readers. Overall, it’s no surprise that Vance pays tribute to the work of O’Neil and Adams at the end of this fantastic issue. Reuniting such an iconic team may not be an original idea (Chuck Dixon did it more than once), but this is a classic.
ISSUE SEVENTEEN --- Hellgrammite Comes to Gotham
One of my favourite episodes of Batman: The Animated Series has to be Beware the Creeper. With the Joker pushing TV reporter Jack Ryder into a vat of life-changing chemicals, the forensic reporter gained the ability to transform himself into the agile, colourful, and deranged Creeper. The DCAU’s take on the Creeper is much less subtle than the original sixties Ditko creation. The laughter may still be present, but the version in the animated universe has little grip on sanity. The story of Beware the Creeper is ultimately a comedic one, but the tale in Adventures in the DC Universe 17 is perhaps darker.
A once renowned scientist with a fascination of insects, Roderik Rose believes that insects are superior to humans. This theory has led him to test chemicals on himself and he has know transformed himself into Hellgrammite, an insectoid nightmare of a beast. He has escaped from prison and is causing chaos around Gotham City. With both Batman and the Creeper on the scene, the parallels with Brave and the Bold 80 from 1968 can’t be ignored. It’s a classic battle, with Batman the trusted hero of the people, and the Creeper as the feared outsider who Gothamites fear. However, Vance writes more than the usual story. Another element is a rival journalist pledging to reveal the identity of the Dark Knight on his TV show. However, it turns out that he is working secretly with Hellgrammite and, predictably, the beast turns on him. Vance shines here as a writer of entertaining dialogue. His take on the Creeper as an outsider; there are some genuinely laugh-out-loud scenes, and his shaky partnership with the Dark Knight is comedically complex. Above all else, with its speed and humour, this is a story which can so easily be imagined on the small screen. That may be because we have witnessed this creative pairing in the animated series, but with its villain, drama, and pacing, Adventures in the DC Universe 17 is another joy to read.
ISSUE EIGHTEEN --- Destroy the JLA
Without a doubt, Adventures in the DC Universe 12 was the pinnacle of drama. That issue featured the final confrontation between the heroes and Cipher, the supreme antagonist of the run. With its speed and shocks, that issue portrayed the animated version of the Justice League at their best. Happily, that continues in Adventures in the DC Universe 18 when the league come face-to-face with Amazo. This classic foe fought the original Justice League of America in their third adventure in 1960. With the ability to absorb superpowers from the Leaguers, Amazo is an android created by Professor Ivo. That story remains virtually unchanged. Ivo, with his cunning brilliance, has placed his intelligence within the android, calling it Amazo 2000. While the Professor’s hatred of the JLA isn’t explored much at all, it’s the android himself who takes centre stage. With a fierce loyalty to Ivo, Amazo 2000 follows his every command as the android fights the JLA in an action-packed and fantastically paced duel. Amazo 2000 systemically defeats each member of this prestigious team, but as ever, the android with all the powers forgets about the hero whose powers aren’t physical, but strategic. With thanks to the US government, Batman harnesses the power of a nuclear warhead to fry Amazo’s electronic systems. However, Ivo has a backup plan. With Amazo 2000 still operational, Ivo uses it to lure the heroes to his secret base, a place where the heroes lose all their powers and abilities. It’s revealed in a dramatic scene that Amazo 2000, the android Ivo promised was so unique and beloved, is a simple clone. He is the 2000th model, with another 1999 ready to take his place. This discovery takes Amazo 2000 over the edge. In that moment, the android becomes the hero; he feels nothing for his creator as he destroys his base and his life’s work. Amazo 2000’s story and development are what makes Adventures in the DC Universe 18 such a grand issue. As ever with previous JLA stories in this title, it is highly televisual and easy to imagine on the small screen. But with the very human and tragic tale of Amazo 2000 and its satisfying end, this is a weighty and highly enjoyable issue.
ISSUE NINETEEN --- The Truth About Cats and Gods
For the final issue of the title, we are treated to the most unusual of team-ups. We have had some strange ones (Martian Manhunter and Impulse come to mind), but none are as peculiar as the meeting between Catwoman and Wonder Woman in Adventures in the DC Universe 19. It all begins with a robbery – a moment which doesn’t exactly unite the two-star characters as friends or allies. Catwoman sneaks into Diana Prince’s apartment and steals her magic lasso when she is sleeping. This is all part of a strange demonic plot. An underworld gangster wants to give himself the power of Kalnos, a cat-deity with titanic strength. All the gangster requires is an amulet and Wonder Woman’s lasso to extract the spell from an archaeologist. Catwoman only gets involved in such a bizarre scheme due to the promise of money, but once the gangster transforms himself into Kalnos, Wonder Woman’s enemy is no longer the puny Catwoman. At first, Vance writes the two characters to be on opposite sides of the fight, but that changes. While Catwoman aims to escape the archaeologist, Wonder Woman goes head-to-head with the cat god. This god is like a giant dwarfing the city. Why we don’t see scenes of destruction and death in the city is confusing. More to the point, just witnessing this fury giant just trample over the city looks ridiculous. In the end, Wonder Woman and Catwoman work together to use the lasso of truth on Kalnos and transform him back into his human form. Vance explores questions about whether Catwoman is a hero or villain, a thought pondered by many creators. While placing her with Wonder Woman is an unusual choice, the top-tier heroine brings out a better side in the thief – even if she does escape with the amulet typically. Overall, while there are some good scenes here, it’s too silly and slightly bland for it to count as one of the title’s better issues. Nevertheless, it can be applauded for an intriguing star duo.
These final issues display Delaney and Boyd at their refined best. The fluidity of their storytelling and sense of speed and drama is as fantastic as usual. Their capacity to adapt to different tones of stories – some tales are naturally darker than others – is a brilliant skill and they have been just as effective and brilliant as Steve Vance in constructing this vast extension of the DC Animated Universe. Their work, especially on the JLA story, is stunning and helps emulate that iconic universe. Overall, we know what we are getting with their art, and that simple but highly charming style is one which adds so much flair to each and every issue.
VERDICT
Overall, these final issues of Adventures in the DC Universe contain some classics with a range of brilliant themes. Through stories featuring Captain Marvel and Aquaman and the JLA, through to others featuring the Creeper and Green Lantern and Green Arrow, Steve Vance displays his creativity and adaptability as a writer. Through brilliant dialogue and plotting, even the more adult themes are conveyed in a way which can resonate with all readers. Overall, with some wonderful pacing, these issues really do feel like they belong not in a comic book, but on the animated small screen. It’s a great shame that Adventures in the DC Universe lasted only nineteen issues and one annual in length. It had the capacity to go on for years longer. Steve Vance did so much more than simply translate the existing DC Universe into its animated cousin. It adapted it with new backstories, original plots, and team-ups which previous creators had never thought about. Vance, accompanied by John Delaney and Ron Boyd, brought light and creativity to the wonderful DC Animated Universe. They deserve credit and thanks for their visionary issues which the likes of Justice League Unlimited would continue with to riveting success.
Next Week: TBC.
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