Comic Review #8: DC Comic Presents #47 (1982)

 

I'm pretty sure I would have covered this issue sooner or later but since today would have been Curt Swan's 101st birthday. Curt Swan was known for drawing Superman for like 32 decades. And I'm only being a tad hyperbolic there. The man met a DC Writer named Francis Herron sometime during World War II, while working on some kind of magazine called Stars and Stripes in England. I don't know if it was a magazine or some kind of booklets for soldiers or what (that's what other comics legend Stan Lee did in the second World War, wrote booklets and stuff for soldiers, anyway what happened is that he went back to America and drew stuff like the Newsboy Legion and all kinds of stuff even before he did Superman. His first assignment was done in 1946 and I'm absolutely sure they still used him from time to time even in the 1990s. He passed away on June 17, 1996. I only connected with him and his art as an adult because for an embarrassingly long time I considered DC Comics "gay". Like past the age of 12 embarrassing.

Anyway, this was chosen for a few reasons. I wanted to discuss DC Comics Presents because I've talked about two of the four main team up books from both companies and want to keep a pattern of sorts going here at the blog (look forward to stuff that's not even made by Marvel or DC). Once I heard it was Curt Swan's birthday I wanted to talk about a comic he had done something with. I also have always wanted to read this issue because it's always been touted as He-Man's first foray into comics (which isn't even true, seeing as the old figures came with comics unless that happened AFTER this. I'm not up on my He-Man toy lore really. I just like the goofy Filmation cartoon and having some figures on shelves. I'm sure someone could go "AHEM THAT'S CLEARLY A 1987 HE-MAN REISSUE BECAUSE..."

He-Man in comics is actually pretty interesting history. He had mini comics included with figures. A first go around with DC (which includes this comic and I think like a 5 issue mini series) These comics actually even pre-date the Filmation cartoon. Marvel then got the rights when DC lost them. THEY put out a mini series I believe AND a series under there Star Comics brand. I do plan to review something related to Star Comics because who doesn't want to hear me talk about Heathcliff #42? There was even a newspaper comic strip that told the story that branched the Filmation He-Man to the one thing no one who likes He-Man to any degree wants to talk about, The New Adventures of He-Man from like 1990. Where he's in space or some shit. I haven't even seen an episode but He-Mans a fuckin Conan the Barbarian type guy for crying out loud, putting him in space for more than like a 5 episode story arc is really dumb. Kinda like sending Jonah Hex to the future in the series Hex. He-Man is apparently back at DC recently (as in like the last 3 or so years) and I think that's pretty cool.

Anyway whenever I think of Superman I instantly think of Curt Swan, I love the little spit curl that he has in Swans art a lot of the time. Really neat stuff. I don't know if DC comics was going off the mini comics or what but some of the He-Man figures are different and that weirds me out. I do not like Man At Arms without that suave cool mustache that all the ladies like. No artist could make me like that. I guess being used to something different just feels weird. Doesn't ruin the issue though. It just makes me go "wait huh" 

DC Comics Presents #47 is a pretty fun issue. I wish I had my own copy for my own collection because well it costs an arm and a leg. I'm not paying $50 for this comic. No way no how. Plus the only time I ran across it close to home was at the store I don't like giving money too because the owners a crumb bum named Bob. He had it for like 30 bucks. I think someone must have bought it because its been years and I haven't seen it since. It will probably end up being the last comic of this series I end up owning. If I had money and could get a copy I wouldn't have a problem buying something like the first appearance of  Ghost Rider, but this isn't really He-Man's first appearance. Not even in comics. YOU AINT GETTING THAT MUCH MONEY FROM ME FOR IT.

Uh... okay back to the comic. You definitely get a lot more He-Man in this issue then Superman but I get the feeling they really wanted the He-Man comic stuff to be a hit. I don't think it was a big enough hit for DC because well they wouldn't have let the rights lapse and go to Marvel. You see a lot of He-Man characters and they interact before it goes to Superman who at this time was working at WGBS news, a news station, because they were hot back then I guess. Now nobody watches them or reads the newspaper. Anyway he's doing his old Clark Kent is a big stupid dumbass routine so that no one will think he's Superman. It's a well worn trope at this point but I still love seeing it. He ends up getting sucked into Eternia because of a magic space cloud that Skeletor made. I dunno, it doesn't make the most sense but we want to see He-Man and Superman fight, and then team up to fight Skeletor.

Superman wrecks the SHIT out of Beast Man which is probably my favorite page in the entire comic. Skeletor uses magic which Superman is weak against. He gains control of Superman using his magic to have him and He-Man fight. I think it's kinda sad that this wasn't a bit longer of a fight. Superman then gets out of the magic spell and Skeletor runs off like he usually does. Superman then goes back home. I did enjoy this issue but I wish it was paced a bit better you know. Kinda ends a little abruptly.

We get another story within this comic. DC had a long history, even at this point. A lot of there characters had disappeared in to the ether so in the back side of this magazine they had a series called "Whatever Happened to... (insert character here)" and they were usually pretty great. This one finally ends the story of the Sandman and Sandy. The Sandman was a golden age hero and Sandy was the sidekick he had. Sandy was turned into a weird silicone monster. I believe it was a retcon for a story in the 1970s. A Justice League of America issue. The Sandman was wrecked with guilt until he was put under hypnosis to forget about it. Sandy was left in that state for decades. The story starts up with The Sandman looking for Sandy because the HOSPITAL HE WAS IN was destroyed in a earthquake (by the villain of this story, the Shatterer ...a villain so lame that not even I'm going to try to defend him). The Shatterer has Monster Sandy kidnapped until well The Sandman finds him and beats his ass. He then cures him using some mumbo jumbo and the Shatterer ends up falling into a hole caused by an earthquake. What a dumbass. It ends on a nice sweet note and I would have read more stories about Sandman and Sandy trying to live again in the early 1980s...

FINAL VERDICT: This is not a perfect issue by any means but I definitely enjoyed it. The He-Man characters look off to me but Curt Swan still draws them well. I like the way he draws Skeletor. It's just slightly different than the cartoon but I like it more. the weird cloak thing he has on his face is held tighter to his body. If you can find it cheaply this is a fun early 80s comic book that is worth owning.