Because you demanded it, this episode begins Tom's examination of the earliest, goofiest adventures of the Teen Titans! In The Brave and the Bold #54, the first Titans tryout, Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad face a guy dressed as a Revolutionary War Bluecoat who steals a small town's teenagers -- because the town won't pay him his passenger pigeon feathers. And this is one of the saner stories.
In Tales of Suspense #78, Cap and Nick Fury reunite for a bit of tough guy bromance, but not before they have to fight a chemical-spewing, sad-faced android created by an evil organization with an original name. Are you ready for... Them?
In Green Lantern #17, Gardner Fox subs for John Broome with this tale of a bespectacled spy master who disrupts Hal's chance to taste some of Carol Ferris' steak, and uncovers his identity as Green Lantern. And Tom is prompted to quote Alanis Morissette. Yes. Alanis Morissette. Deal with it.
This episode is so soapy you can do a week's worth of laundry with it. We go back to World War II to learn the secret of Cap's great love. Plus, lots and lots of repentant Nazis in Tales of Suspense #77.
In Green Lantern #16, Star Sapphire debuts and doesn't steal things in an effort to get Hal to defeat her, and Hal tells Tom "Pieface" Kalmaku how Abin Sur fought a starbursty intelligence vampire thingy with a name like a brand of luncheon meat. Plus, a scene of GL checking out Star Sapphire's posterior causes Tom to break out in a gratuitous Al Pacino impersonation.
In this episode, Batroc seems to gain a few pounds as he kicks some butt, Cap shows more of his stalkerly side as he bemoans losing a girl he met just a few minutes before, and the worst EMT ever shows his stuff, all from Tales of Suspense #76.
From Green Lantern #15, Tom Deja examines a story where, at the urging of his bowler-hatted manager, Sinestro draws Green Lantern into an insidious trap, and Hal's own absent-mindedness launches him into a new "zero hour" adventure. And I bet you didn't even know that supervillains had managers.
In this titanic episode, Tom revels in the debut of one of his favorite characters eeeeever: the Gaelic Gladiator known as Batroc the Leaper! Join him as he delights in seeing the only man who can remain cool while rocking a handlebar mustache mix it up with Captain America. Oh, and you should probably know that portions of this episodes, chronicling Tales of Suspense #75, are presented in a corny French accent. I know, but it's how Tom rolls.
It's the second part of our two-part Halloween epic, as The Phantom Stranger celebrates the debut of his own solo series by playing Mystery Machine to three men who died in a plane crash, and putting up with Dr. Thirteen's rabid rantings about him being a phony while trying to stop a mad Asian stereotype from wrecking buildings with his pet dragon-thingy.
In this episode, we celebrate Tom's favorite season by looking at Showcase #80, the first appearances in the Silver Age of The Phantom Stranger (Mystic Defender of the Terminally Stupid) and Doctor Thirteen (Terminally Jerkish Ghost-Breaker).
Green Lantern #14 sees the not-so-lame debut of Sonar (who might very well become the lamest Green Lantern villain ever), more with Sue Davis (The Woman Who Takes Romantic Advice from Lois Lane), and the grand gangster Blackstreet (who may look a touch familiar to fans of The Maltese Falcon).
In this episode, covering the final part of the classic "Sleeper Saga" from Tales of Suspense #74, Captain America does a whole lot of speculating before defeating an all-powerful evil with a flamethrower. Yes, a flamethrower. I don't get it, either. But there's a cool J. Geils song at the end.
In the first episode of the 'Cade to appear on Earth-2.net, we get the momentous first solo meeting between Green Lantern and The Flash in Green Lantern #13. In a very Marvel way, they fight, and in a very DC way, it's because of some evil bald men. Oh, and Barry Allen explores his "special feelings" for his best friend, and Terga Kalmaku finally discovers the English language.
In this episode, Stan Lee and George Tuska continue the slow build of "The Sleeper Saga" by introducing The Devil-Bat Monstrosity to fight alongside The Milk Jug of Doom. Plus Captain America fights a broken log, all in Tales of Suspense #73.
In Green Lantern #12, Green Lantern once more travels to the 58th century, and uses a giant statue to foil the evil designs of a malicious stage magician. And no, it's not Abra Kadabra. Plus Hal gets knocked out again.
It's a landmark episode, as we look at the first part of the epic "The Sleepers Awake!" storyline - from Tales of Suspense #72. Captain America encounters what's supposed to be a scary Kirby-esque monstrosity, but thanks to George Tuska, it's actually a giant milk jug. Still, it's quite good. Really.
In Green Lantern #11, Hal behaves very oddly. No, not in the story that depicts his trial, but in the story where he lets his Power Ring fall through his trouser pocket, and celebrates the marriage of his friend by extolling the joy of getting married so that your wife can sew your clothes.
It's Tales of Suspense #71, the last issue of the Captain America in WWII arc. Cap and Bucky feign unconsciousness, dying just doesn't stop Celia from talking, and Rawlings blows things up good!
In this issue, our man Hal goes to a subatomic world to fix a problem he caused, and tells - grumble, mutter - Pieface the origins of his oath. And the scary thing is, this isn't the worst thing Tom Kalmaku is called in Green Lantern #10.
In Tales of Suspense #70, the continuation of the Greymoor Castle story, the mad scientist becomes a wuss, the hulking assistant is replaced by a Nazi commandant named Uberhart (Superheart?), and Cap looks like he has to poop while fighting medieval armored Nazis. Plus, Jack Kirby is replaced by George Tuska, which causes the Baby Jesus to cry. Okay, I made that last part up.
In Green Lantern #9, Sinestro makes a bid to destroy the Guardians as we're deluged with wacky Lanterns from all planets, and Sue Williams shows us why she may very well be the single most misguided woman in the DC Universe. (The fact that she looks to Lois Lane for romantic advice might be an indicator.)
In this episode, a mad scientist with a steel hand, his guilty sister, and some nameless goof plan to shrink Captain America down to size. Literally. Believe it or not, Tales of Suspense #69 is pretty good.
In Green Lantern #8, Green Lantern is snatched away from battling a sea monster to the 58th century, given a new identity, and fights giant Gila monsters who shrink people with their eyes. I have no idea what John Broome was smoking, either.
Tales of Suspense #68 ends the first Captain America three-part story, where The Red Skull abandons his plan to assassinate the allied commander by, well, telling some nameless Nazi thug to steal a vanishing ray. Please be sure to visit Michael J. Bailey's Views from the Longbox at http://fortressofbaileytude.com/viewsfromthelongbox.
In this episode, Hal's nightmare turns Tom Kalmaku into a seagull, which interferes with the mechanic's rendezvous with his childhood sweetheart. Oh, and some guy named Sinestro makes his debut in this issue: Green Lantern #7.
In this episode, we continue the first multipart adventure of Captain America during the World War II throwback phase of the Silver Age. Tales of Suspense #67 features a Cap who looks like he's stoned, Bucky disguised as a Hogan's Heroes character, and a cowardly Adolph Hitler.
Tom's back with the milestone Green Lantern #6, where Green Lantern meets Tomar Re. He also has to deal with the incredible menaces of The Thought-Rebels of Aku and The SmileySaurs. Okay, so the SmileySaurs are less than incredible.
It's a short, but significant one. Namely the landmark Tales of Suspense #66: the origin of the Red Skull!
It's Green Lantern's first full length adventure and, while Tom could talk about the plot, a new supervillain, and the Power Ring reaching new levels of ridiculous power, but three words should be sufficient to get you to listen: monkey Green Lantern. You know you have to hear Tom's thoughts about Green Lantern #5.
In Tales of Suspense #65, Captain America's greatest enemy, The Red Skull, makes the scene back in the 1940s - albeit in a khaki jumpsuit and carrying Hot Water Brand Sleep Gas (It Does a Body Good).
