CROSSOVER MADNESS

 I haven't rewatched all the NIGHTMAN episodes of the 1990s lately, but I did rescreen a few that seemed to hold some potential.

In "That Ol' Gang of Mine," a mad scientist brings to life the long-preserved bodies of (going left to right) Al Capone, Bonnie Parker and John Dillinger, none of whom died and all of whom were simply kept on ice by J. Edgar Hoover For Reasons. This is, however, a null-crossover because I don't regard that the real-life criminals ever became what I call "legendary figures," the sort of figures authors often feel free to turn into fictionalized avatars of the authentic human beings.

   

In contrast, the NIGHTMAN episode "Manimal" contains both one legendary (and thus "innominate") figure and one franchise character (who would be "nominative" since his exact status as a fictional character can be easily "named"). The franchise character is Doctor Jonathan Chase, played by the same actor who essayed the character on the short-lived TV show MANIMAL, and here he's playing substantially the same role. He meets Johnny Domino/Nightman and the two battle the evil of the legendary Jack the Ripper, who shows up in the 20th century thanks to a magic crystal-thingie.       

RAR #95: RED ARROW, NAWANDO AND WHITE BULL

In 1951 P.L. Publishing released three issues of RED ARROW, devoted to the adventures of the war-bonneted main hero and his young sidekick Running Deer. The characters had no origin and were given no motive for riding around the West fighting evildoers. The stories were ordinary and the only art I liked was the cover of issue #3, shown below. The "Minnie-Hot-Cha" in the green dress may have actually shared the name of Hiawatha's bride, since in her one appearance she's named "Laughing Water."

  

In this essay I've analyzed the one good story to appear in RED ARROW. This was a one-shot tale about a Navajo medicine-man, Nawando, whose vision guides him to his successor, the young brave White Bull. 

MONSTER MASHUPS #146

 THE SPIDBAT.

THE RADIOACTIVE UNICORN.

And with issue #29 appeared the last of the multi-monster mashes in MIGHTY SAMSON. Issues #30 and #31 just had one monster apiece, and after one reprint the title expired. But if I ever get round to counting up the members of this menagerie, it's possible that this feature may have racked up more "monster mashes" than any other single series in any medium. 

MONSTER MASHUPS #145

 THE TIGRAWK.

THE PENTOPUS. (What, too much trouble to draw more than five arms?)

THE GIANT MOUSE (a real terror to the little elephant next to it).

 THE HORN-TOSSING FAWN.

MONSTER MASHUPS #144

 Whoever wrote MIGHTY SAMSON 26 didn't take as much joy as the regular guys(s) in coining bizarre names for the mutant monsters, leaving me the burden of coming up with names for--

THE SEA DRAGON.

And the GIANT PELICAN.

MONSTER MASHUPS #143

 THE MOLE-WORM.

 

THE GIGANTO-RAT.

MONSTER MASHUPS #142

 THE AERO-PANTHERS.

THE INFRA-RED ANT.