Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Spawn of Frankenstein, part 3

Continuing the look back at the most obscure of the Seven Soldiers...

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If you recall, last issue the Spawn of Frankenstein had decided to try and revive the man who had recently died bringing him back to life, Victor Adams. As part 3 begins, in Phantom Stranger #25, we see artist Mike Kaluta indulging himself in a little Charles Addams-by-way-of-Alberto Vargas pinup art featuring Victor's widow, Rachel. As Rachel fumes about the death of her husband, she is approached by a huge lout wearing some sort of odd Egyptian-style, or Cimmerian-style, or something clothing. The man demands that Rachel go with him, and Rachel refuses.

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Then, of course, the big lout (name of "Mammon", by the way) takes Mrs. A by force, like any loutish flunky worth his salt is wont to do. Meanwhile...

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Later that evening, Spawny digs Victor up and carries him off, looking for somewhere to stash his body and begin the restoration process. As fate would have it...

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...he comes upon the very same menacing-looking towered structure to which Mammon has carried Rachel, in order to truss her up on a big wooden cross and be used as a sacrifice which will open a gate to Hell so that Mammon's master, a shriveled-up little bald fella named Mordecai, can be reunited with his master Satan.

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As the ritual proceeds, Spawny arrives just in time to break it up, free Mrs. A and brawl with Mammon. The Mam man gets in a lucky punch or two, and knocks our "hero" out. Mordy decides that the only way they can ensure that the SoF doesn't interrupt the proceedings again is to sacrifice him instead of the woman. Problem is...

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Spawny's not down with that plan at all, and breaks free- slugging Mammon with a hunka hunka burning wood. Mordecai, for his part, is lying in the pentagram on the floor, and is "almost there", and Mammon, again like any good lackey, offers to throw himself into the hellfire that has magically sprung up, to complete the ritual. Of course, the big dumbass jumps in too late, and they both get burned to ashes for their trouble.

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Spawny takes Rachel downstairs, and parks her passed-out body in the same room as Victor's corpse, much to her displeasure when she revives. The SoF, in the meantime, leaves to get the necessary equipment to perform her hubby's resurrection.

Which we never get to see, because next issue is the crossover with the Phantom Stranger, then a new creative team assumes the reins in #'s 27-30, conveniently ignoring the "Resurrection of Victor Adams" plot. Not exactly up there with Buckaroo Banzai vs. the World Crime League when it comes to unresolved storylines, but hey. Wolfman's writing is as overwrought as ever, but actually I kinda liked the idea behind this one; it has a very strong pulp magazine flavor. I never realized until many years later how inconsistent the coloring was in comics in those pre-Photoshop days...last issue Spawny had a dark blue cape and brown pants, in this issue he has on blue pants and a purple cape. He lost his hat somewhere down the line. His skin color so far has fluctuated from yellow-blue to blue to yellow to, in this chapter, green. Oy. Kaluta, for the most part, doesn't seem to be trying very hard either but it was still early in his career. If I recall correctly, he was beginning to do the Shadow at about this time as well, and was probably rushing through this anyway.

Next up, Phantom Stranger #26 and the big crossover teamup! And lots of scans, so it will be this weekend sometime. Stay tuned. All images © DC Comics.

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