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Hosts Mike Myers and Eric Martin open the show with some back issue discussion of Adventure Comics #435 (1974) and Jack Kirby’s O.M.A.C. issues 1 and 2. we then move in to some non spoiler discussion of Wednesday Comics 1 and 2. We also have an impromptu Top 5 list of our 5 favorite strips from Wednesday Comics.

The full spoiler reviews/annotations this time are for Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape #2 (00:19:49 to 00:23:19) Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2 and Ink #2 are quickly discussed (00:23:19 to 00:26:07) Final Crisis Aftermath: Run #2 (00:26:07 to 00:34:59) Last Days of Animal Man #2 (00:34:59 to 00:40:39) JSA vs Kobra #1 (00:40:39 to 00:47:12).

Tags: adam strange, adventure comics, batman, deadman, demon and catwoman, final crisis aftermath: dance, final crisis aftermath: escape, final crisis aftermath: ink, final crisis aftermath: run, green lantern, Hawkman, jack kirby, jsa vs kobra, kamandi, last days of animal man, metal men, metamorpho, OMAC, sgt rock, supergirl, superman, teen titans, the flash, wednesday comics, wonder woman

In the 31st episode of The Shade’s Journal, join host Matt Kramer as Jack Knight travels to Krypton and meets Jor-El, the father of Superman. See how James Robinson writes the characters of ancient Krypton eight years before he began his current run on Superman. Also in this episode, join Jack as he travels to the planet Rann and meets Adam Strange before one of the most controversial events in the series occurs. What could happen that would cause Tony Harris to stop providing covers for the series he co-created? Find out in this episode!

Issues discussed include Starman #51, 52, and 53.

Tags: adam strange, jack knight, jor-el, krypton, matt kramer, starman, the shade's journal

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Join Mike and Eric for their coverage of the last 3 issues to the fantastic Rann-Thanagar Holy War.

Spoiler tags:
6 – 00:02:16 to 00:13:22
7 – 00:13:22 to 00:27:16
8 – 00:27:16 to 00:37:53

Tags: adam strange, captain comet, Hawkman, rann thanagar holy war, superman, the weird

My mystery comic book finally arrived today from the Amazon Marketplace. Since I have it in my possession and I don’t have to worry about people rushing out to buy it (and therefore driving up the price for me to get it), I can finally make the big reveal.

It is JLA: Secret Origins by Paul Dini and Alex Ross, the only one of their oversized books that I didn’t own.

I haven’t read it thoroughly yet, but I like what I have seen by just thumbing through it. It appears to be a collection of two page retellings of the origins stories of the Justice League of America (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Arrow (with Black Canary, but her origin wasn’t told.),  Captain Marvel (the real one, you know “Shazam!”), Hawkman (and Hawkgirl, whose origin has always been intrinsically tied to her husband’s), Atom, Plastic Man,  Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern Hal Jordan.

Since I cut my teeth on DC Comics way back when, there  is nothing in here that I didn’t already know but it never looked like this.  There is also a retelling of the Justice League of America themselves, which is restricted to one paragraph. The real treat on the JLA spread is Adam Strange, Zatanna, Metamorpho, The Elongated Man, Phantom Stranger and Red Tornado each getting the Alex Ross treatment for a panel.

After the story, there is an interview with Dini and Ross that includes a lot of sketches and a painting of the Big Seven, which is beautiful and I wish I had a poster of it.

Now my Dini/Ross oversized collection is complete and I can start getting some of the other books that I saw on TreasuryComics.com. This could take a while and get expensive. Luckily for me, I’m not as obsessive about such things as I once was.

Tags: adam strange, alex ross, amazon marketplace, aquaman, atom, batman, black canary, captain marvel, elongated man, flash, green arrow, green lantern hal jordan, hawkgirl, Hawkman, interview, jla: secret origins, justice league of america, martian manhunter, metamorpho, paul dini, phantom stranger, plastic man, red tornado, shazam, superman, wonder woman, zatanna

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This episode, Mike and Eric review Rann-Thanagar Holy War 4, Adam Strange Special and Final Crisis Revelations 2. At the bottom of the show, they also get into some random comics talk about Final Crisis, O.M.A.C. and Gotham Central, as well as some convention talk.

Review times:
Rann Thanagar Holy War #4 from 00:01:09 to 00:16:08
Adam Strange Special from 00:16:08 to 00:27:12
Final Crisis Revelations #2 from 00:27:14 to 00:43:24

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Tags: adam strange, eric martin, final crisis, final crisis revelations, gotham central, mike myers, OMAC, rann thanagar holy war