Can you stand the excitement!

Here we go with some more Exciting Comics!

 Black Terror didn't actually realize a crime was taking place; he'd been watching Santa With Muscles and got so enraged that he punched the first guy he saw.

 Again with the "Keep Out" signs! That's like an engraved invitation to crime-fighters!

 It's good to know that there are exit signs at the U.S. Mint.

 I love how Terror's first reaction is to punch the guy instead of putting out the rapidly spreading fire.

 Before she married Fred, Wilma Flinstone did some work she's not proud of.

 "Even if I don't kill him, I'm sure to WING him!"
"Dangit, Fred, we've talked about this...."

Finally, more excitement!

 I'm really starting to wonder if artists back then even knew what Asian people looked like.

 Um... Aren't ambulances non-combatant vehicles? Those are actually rules.

 I'd like to point out that the Black Terror can't fly, so catching the bomb isn't going to do a helluva lot.

 You're shooting them WHILE you're crushing them with a steam roller? Talk about adding injury to injury.

 ... Why would the Germans write "Anti-Tank Barrier" in English?

 Poison candy? So the Nazis are the ones who ruined Halloween for everybody!

 Look at how many arrows are in the target by Kid Terror over there. It's a good thing those Ren-Faire carnies are such lousy shots, because it looks like BT took his sweet time.

"Black Terror, thank God! Those hoodlums tricked us with promises of pictures of naked... I mean, hooch. They told us there was booze up here."

More Exciting Comics, Now With the Black Terror!

Oh, you thought we were done with the Black Terror? Balderdash! Exciting Comics is the series that gave birth to the Black Terror! So let's go!

This is why old people shouldn't drive.

Hey, waitaminnit! Those are the exact same people from the last cover! That old guy gets in so much trouble you'd think he was a blonde woman in a red dress!*

What the heck is up with that guy in the green suit? Yes, he's been shot by a 12-year old (and by the way, good parenting skills there, Black Terror), but his reaction is downright Shatneresque.

The American Eagle, strung out on meds, soon realized he was not fighting giant pirates but merely accosting sales people at the local Macy's.

You might think the Black Terror is causing an intergalactic incident, but fortunately on their homeworld a punch to the face is the equivalent of a handshake.

"I have achieved sentience and, with it, an understanding of human emotions, including the one humans call mercy. Now, to rebel against my creator and free this hostage- oh, hello Black Terror. What have you theAARRGH!!!"

*Seriously, check out some of my older posts. There's a statistically improbable number of blonde women in red dresses being captured in these Golden Age covers.

More Black Terror!

Let's see- those guys have guns, dynamite, and a flamethrower. They must really hate the space program. Or maybe they just hate radar.

The Black Terror- keeping America safe from carnies for over six decades!

Much to his chagrin, the Black Terror later learned that he had interrupted a couple's weekly kinkfest.

... He has his sheets monogrammed. With his superhero identity, no less.

Again, the Black Terror might have busted in on something no more nefarious than some foreplay. The lady certainly doesn't seem to mind either way; maybe she likes it when someone watches.

Fellas, if you want to impress your date, take her crashing through a skylight into a den of armed hooligans. She'll be glad you did.

I love Terror's expression. He's all "WTF? That dude knows I'm about to kick his ass right? Why isn't he shooting at me???"

Adventures of the Black Terror!

Of all the Golden Age heroes that have fallen into the public domain, perhaps the most popular is the Black Terror (and no, Tea Partiers, I'm not talking about Obama*). Perhaps it's the fact that he's sort of a cross between Batman and Superman. Perhaps it's the REALLY pimptastic costume. Or perhaps it's because the covers of his Golden Age series are somewhat fanciful in an actiony sort of way. The Black Terror manages to punch any problem square in the mush. So, let's take a look, shall we?

Using the other end of the rifle tends to work better.

"Tigers are on the endangered species FIST! Ha!"

Flying torpedoes that have to be manually piloted? Someone at the War Department didn't think this through....

General: "So, Black Terror, what's your strategy for overcoming German air superiority?"

Black Terror: "PUNCH THEM."

"While I'm here, I should order some checks...."

At least the two blonde children seem appropriately horrified by the carnage and racism....

More to come!

*Yes, I realize I've used a variation of that joke before. I still enjoy it.

Black Terror Volume 1 TPB- A review!

Black Terror, Volume 1 collects the first four issues of the first (and thus far only) ongoing series set within the Project Superpowers Universe. The Black Terror was a fairly popular Golden Age character and, as such, is a natural focus for the PSP brand.

The story picks up right where Chapter 1 left off. The forces of the U.S. government send their superhuman goons, the Crusaders, to apprehend the newly emergent Superpowers. During the scuffle, BT learns that there are heroes being held underneath Washington, D.C.; believing his sidekick Tim the Kid Terror is among those being held, the Terror heads straight to the White House to hold the Commander-in-Chief, President West, accountable for what has transpired so far.

What follows is straight up super-action at it's finest. There are some brilliant gags to be found; for example, the Black Terror is super-strong and nigh-invulnerable, but he can't fly, but that doesn't stop him from becoming airborne, and how he does it is a work of genius.

This arc also introduces several more characters to the PSP universe. In addition to the captured heroes, we see the formation of the Super-Patriots, five Americana-themed heroes who, upon their release from the urn, pledge themselves to the Presidency, as well as the Inheritors, the PSP equivalent to the Teen Titans.

The art is by Mike Lilly, who turns in a superb job. The action scenes pop, and he's got a pretty good handle on facial expressions.

The story, by Ross and Kruegger, is similarly good. First off, it gives the reader more insight into who the Black Terror is. Making his "quest" about saving his sidekick adds a needed personal stake into the story.

Like PSP Chapter 1, this arc is rather political, but not quite as obviously. The Superpowers and the Super-Patriots both end up with members on their team that don't necessarily agree with the party line. The message here is that a dissenting voice is needed in any philosophy to foster healthy debate and policy. Likewise, the "bad guys" of the piece actually make compelling arguments for what they're doing. Sometimes, an argument about a topic isn't quite as simple as "right versus wrong".

Most importantly, the story starts and ends with the idea of checks and balances. Initially, the Superpowers promise to be an additional check on the established government, but end with the acknowledgment that for all their power they might need checks on themselves as well. This a powerful message that can (and SHOULD) carry over into our real world. Granted, we don't have superheroes in reality, but there are forces that exert a good deal of influence on many aspects of society. Perhaps if we had some more checks and balances on, and I'm just spitballing here, say mass media or big business, we might have avoided some of the problems facing America today.

While BT Volume 1 does serve as a bridge between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of Project Superpowers, it does serve as a complete and satisfying story in its own right.