The Fickle Finger Of Doctor Fate, Part 1

We usually talk about how certain old comic book characters were much more popular back in the 1940s. Whether it's Blackhawk or Captain Marvel or the Sub-Mariner, there are just some four color heroes who hang in there despite their heyday being well in the past. However, they seem destined to never reach those lofty heights again.

Dr. Fate is something of the opposite case. He was essentially a highly-touted also-ran during the Golden Age. He appeared on some covers, qualified for the Justice Society, and was published for a few years. But? He never broke out as a star. Contrast that with his fortunes since his revival in 1963. He became one of the mainstays of the revived JSA, rising to become arguably one of the most popular of the bunch. He has starred in several solo series and been immortalized in toys, cartoons and even live-action television. He's still a second-stringer, but a reliable one who turns up often. Not a bad showing for a guy who couldn't even hang onto the cover spot for More Fun Comics.

As you might expect, Dr. Fate proved popular enough to earn an Archive of his Golden Age exploits from DC Comics. But Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1 is an Archive with a difference. It is a hardcover (the product page is wrong in this respect) that collects EVERY SINGLE Dr. Fate solo strip from the 1940s. It is not cheap, but it's almost 400 pages of rare stories starring a classic character. I finally scored my copy earlier this year.

The fascinating thing about this book is to watch the progression of the strip through its four year lifespan. The Dr. Fate that debuts in More Fun #55 is only superficially the same Dr. Fate that takes his final bow in More Fun #98. Therein lies a story that I think is worth exploring.

Doctor Fate first appears with no explicitly spelled-out backstory. By this, I mean we are told a background for him, but it is not shown. What's more, it varies from story to story. In this initial conception, the good Doctor is apparently ancient. He is also quite otherworldly.

One of the things that struck me about the first year or so of Dr. Fate is just how inherently bizarre it is. Much has been made of Fletcher Hanks and his Stardust the Super Wizard, but I would contend that Dr. Fate approaches that level of surreal crazy. The key difference is that both the story (by Gardner Fox) and art (by Howard Sherman) are clearly superior for Doctor Fate. Which isn't to say they aren't strange. Both the plots and the dialogue are rather unnerving and (dare I say it?) even a little creepy for the era. The art is compressed into small panels that tell the story in the limited space provided but add a sense of claustrophobia to even the grandest of events. If I had a word to describe the travails of Dr. Fate and his female companion Inza, it would be "unease".

Oh yes, Inza. Her Golden Age portrayal is a revelation. While frequently a damsel-in-distress, she is a strong and capable one. While her relationship with Dr. Fate is not one you could characterize as "romantic" at first, it's clear he both loves and (more importantly) respects her. For her part, she is ready and willing to participate in Fate's insane adventures, which is quite a switch from the characterization attributed to her during the 1970s and 80s. How did THAT happen, anyway? To give you an idea of her perceived importance in the strip, there are several stories in which she receives a special billing on the splash page! I can't recall many girlfriends who ever merited a "co-starring" in their hero's strip.

For whatever reason, some tinkering with this formula was felt to be necessary. Inza was absent for the tale where Dr. Fate must turn back the challenge of invading fish men, but her removal was only for one story. There was something bigger in the offing. More Fun #66 features a story with a leopard girl, and everything is...different. The panels are larger. The tone is much more down-to-Earth, albeit still in the realm of fantastic. Even the mysterious Doctor Fate comes across as more approachable. This is accentuated by the end, in which he removes his helmet and reveals his secret identity of Kent Nelson to Inza.

I cannot overemphasize what a fundamental change the last was in the strip. Not only had Dr. Fate never removed his helmet on-panel prior to this, but there was never any indication that he HAD an alter ego! Until this story, he was just Dr. Fate, and that was that. Kent Nelson's first appearance here seems a signal that they want to humanize the hero and make it easier for kids to relate to him.

This is the approach to Dr. Fate utilized throughout the Silver Age and Bronze Age, which is why it is surprising to realize it only lasted for six months in the Golden Age. The next story (#67) relates an origin story for Fate that had previously been deemed unneeded. This is the foundation for his character in later years, though it does seemingly contradict his portrayal during most of the prior year's worth of stories. Not to worry, this was addressed in later retcons (some ingenious, some not so much).

Thus begins the much more obvious romance between Kent Nelson and Inza Cramer (whose surname fluctuated). Heck, they even go on a date where Kent WEARS HIS GOLDEN DR. FATE CAPE WITH HIS DRESS CLOTHES. Kent and Inza's relationship would be pretty consistent through the latter-days of the feature.

Issues #69-#71 form a probably accidental sequence that paves the way for yet another new direction. In #69, we meet Ian Karkull and he ends up getting trapped in the form of a shadow. In #70, Karkull returns for Round Two, and teams up with old Fate foe Wotan. Wotan's return is odd in itself. He appeared in the first two Dr. Fate stories, but not again until he inexplicably returned over a year later (his red outfit and green skin being supplanted by a purple suit and Caucasian skin in the process). This teaming is foiled by Our Hero is what feels like a climax. And then, in #71...

Remember how I said it was obvious in #66 that things were different? I get the same vibe from the story in #71. This story very much feels like it could be about ANY superhero, and just happens to feature Dr. Fate. I realize that could be said for much of the output of the Golden Age, but I don't think I'm barking up the wrong tree when I contend those early Dr. Fate stories had a flavor all their own. That is missing here. The artwork and everyone featured in it look the same. But the characters sound different. They act differently. Dr. Fate wins in the end, but you get the impression of him being just another long underwear type instead of an enigmatic sorcerer.

Things were about to change radically in the Dr. Fate strip. And the surest sign would be a slight alteration in his costume. That will be where we pick this up in Part 2 (whenever that may be).

ACEO on Fire!

See, Firegirl? I told you that there would be an ACEO of you by Kabuki Katze. Would I lie to a sizzling redhead like you?

You're also on deviantArt. Isn't that grand?

Shaolin vs. Frankenstein

Disclaimer: A screener copy of the "Shaolin vs. Frankenstein" DVD was sent to the owner of this blog for review.

Back in the carefree 1990s, when we rode our dinosaurs to the post office to pick up the latest issues of our favorite fanzines, Damon Foster surprised us all when he began reviewing KOREAN sci-fi movies in the pages of his Oriental Cinema. Later, I even acquired a few of them (not from Damon) during those madcap video trading days. They were just as oddball as he'd said, and more than a little bit hard to follow. I don't think I own any of those tapes today, but I never forgot my exposure to those movies.

Fast forward to the present, and Damon has gifted us with his new video, SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN. SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN is built around footage from THREE (count 'em!) different Korean movies. This is very much a good thing, because while these films always have some points of interest, they are also filled with a lot of stuff that is just a waste of your time. Damon has smartly solved this dilemma by weaving the plots of three separate films together into one. Amazingly, it is pretty much at least as coherent as the originals were separately.

I won't attempt to recap the plot, but I will tell you this movie features:

* Monsters! Including Dracula and the Frankenstein monster!
* The giant monster Yongary!
* The superhero Golden Bat!
* A Shaolin priest!
* An utterly moronic lead character in Shim Hyung Rae's "Young Gu"!
* Juvenile humor at its most juvenile!

SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN is a little slow out of the gate, because there is only so much Damon and company can do with the expository portion of the proceedings. Still, there are good gags to be found. However, when things kick into gear, they REALLY kick into gear. Imagine if you will a superhero fight intercut with the Shaolin priest battling monsters intercut with Yongary on a rampage. It was as if everything cool had a giant mash-up party!

Damon Foster deserves a lot of credit for seriously improving on what were at best minor video curios and making them not only watchable but entertaining. I hadn't given these flicks much thought in ages, so it was a pleasure to rediscover some of their idiosyncratic charm in a more palatable form. In many ways, it hearkened back to the time when we watched movies just because they were different.

Caution: SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN is not for everyone. Some of the dubbed humor may offend, but that is Damon's M.O. and I wouldn't change it. There are also some scenes from the Korean movies that may surprise you in their gross-out factor, considering these were originally marketed as being for kids. Oh, and there is one laughably cheap but disturbingly graphic (if that makes a lick of sense) sequence that I won't spoil here.

SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN is a worthy addition to Damon's collection of unusual video projects. You can check those out on his video page. SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN is not for sale juuuust yet, so keep your eyes peeled at Damon Foster's Page! When available, it can be yours for the modest price of $10!

EDIT March 26, 2012: You can now buy SHAOLIN VS. FRANKENSTEIN at your convenience!

100 Shot-100 Killed

My pal David McRobie over at Xenorama recently devoted the month of November to discussing spy movies. One video I found during his cavalcade was the above, and since it didn't make the cut on the Xeno-Blog, I thought I'd spotlight it here.

As it happens, I've seen the first "100 Shot-100 Killed" (literally 100発100中) film. I absolutely loved it for its good-natured sense of humor and fairly exciting action. Akira Takarada shines as "Andrew Hoshino" (but is he really Andrew Hoshino??) and Mie Hama is at her absolute zenith. I mean, check out the amazing chemistry between those two as evidenced in the trailer alone. Plus, if Mie Hama in a bikini firing a machine gun doesn't have some effect on you, check your pulse. Throw in the likes of Ichiro Arishima and Akihiko Hirata and you have a spy movie that successfully bridges the language barrier due to pure thrills and sheer likeability.

The above video also includes some pictures after the trailer, before segueing into the trailer for the second film (albeit with the theme song replacing the audio). Its title 100発100中 黄金の眼 translates as (no kidding) "100 Shot-100 Killed: Golden Eye", and it looks like the equal of the first film in terms of awesome. The new leading lady is Bibari Maeda, who is best known (if at all) for being in SON OF GODZILLA. Incidentally, both "100 Shot-100 Killed" films are directed by Jun Fukuda, and they give you a new perspective on him if you've only seen his Godzilla work.

If you are inclined, check out this video on Youtube. It even has the option of HD there!

Owariverse Encyclopedia: Section III - Civilians (A-D)

Pat August: Pat August is the president of Mann Creations, and the one who runs the day-to-day operations of the company. Though Paul Mann founded the company, and is the principal owner and CEO, it is Pat who keeps it humming along. He is probably Captain Satellite's most valuable and trustworthy confidante besides Shelly Ericson herself. Pat is involved with a number of charities and community programs both in his official capacity and as a private citizen, including serving as chairman for the Major City Council on African-American Affairs (MCCAA).


Karma Bando: Don't let Karma Bando's hippie girl name and slight appearance deceive you - she is an ace auto mechanic and expert car customizer. Captain Satellite enlisted her aid in creating his Rocket Racecar, and she has an exclusive contract to maintain the specialized vehicle. Her reputation has only grown with her association with Cap, and she has been able to franchise her Lightning Cars business around the country as a result.


Rudy Boemer: Rudy Boemer is the current mayor of Major City, and something of a political maverick. He has a very blue collar approach to city governance, in line with his roots in Middleburg (largest metropolis in the Midwest). He is still not as sold on the concept of costumed do-gooders as his predecessor, Howard Fein, was while he was in office. However, he has demonstrated a willingness to work with the superhero community in his constituency.


Bruce Chase: Bruce Chase is famous as the star of the popular and trendsetting TV series Cat-Man on the DeKalb Television Network. Noted for his exaggerated and overdramatic delivery, he was perfect for the role, and that landmark program has defined his career. Though he went on to play the title character in the cop show Lomax! (also aired on DeKalb) for several seasons, success as a serious movie actor - what he really desires - has eluded Bruce. He is still doggedly optimistic, and convinced that all he needs is the right part - such as that of Captain Satellite in the film adaptation of his life story. Meanwhile, he continues to cash sizeable checks for reprising his Cat-Man role in a string of top-grossing blockbusters.


Rex Coronado: Rex Coronado is the executive director of C.H.I.E.F. The son of Mexican immigrants, he is deeply proud of the United States, and will fight to defend it with his last breath. He wears sunglasses at all times to disguise the fact that he has a glass right eye. Rex is cantankerous seemingly beyond reason, but has been known to display a sharp sense of humor when least expected. Never one to be underestimated, he will do whatever it takes to accomplish his mission.


Whitney DeKalb: Whitney DeKalb is the current heir of Ladd DeKalb, founder of both electronics manufacturer DeKalb Laboratories and the trailblazing but perennial also-ran DeKalb Television Network. A member of the DeKalb Network board of directors, Whitney has been seeking a way for her network to better compete with the Major Broadcasting System (MBS) and the United Broadcasting Company (UBC). She thinks she has finally found one by forging a strategic alliance with Paul Mann’s Mann Creations corporation, both through the network and her own independent production company Thirteen Media.

What Can You Do? You're In A Stew!

I'm not sure, but lyrics like "You're my kinda meat" and "Eat me, eat you, incredibly delicious too" won the Grammy that year, right?

Altered Egos: Kendal Rose

In October 2010, I ran a series called "Altered Egos" on this blog, wherein Kabuki Katze depicted some of my heroes alongside their civilian identities. Well, the thought had always been in the back of my mind that I'd like to return to my own personal A/E someday. Well, "someday" has arrived! Our first contestant is the one and only Kendal Rose!