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| Ugh, Lois. No. Just, no. |
As should be abundantly apparent by now, I am finding these classic issues of some of DC's finest creations a bit arduous to get through. Thus, I'm gonna fast-forward a bit, so I can get to some Marvel and Indie mags more quickly.
To generalize (perhaps far too much given the random and slight sampling), one of the key features about these classic issues that is driving me absolutely bonkers is what I'll call the "stumbling plot plugs."
I'll illustrate this malady by focusing on
Action Comics #252's story, "The Menace of Metallo!" However, this is not to suggest that
Robert Bernstein (writer) &
Al Plastino (artist) are particularly egregious purveyors of this problem. These stumbling plot plugs can be found dang near everywhere in these early comics.
Most Amusing Panel Prize:
To make it clear that Lois starts out a bit "icy" towards John Corben (aka Metallo) with his sexist come on ("I go for you, Baby"), her dialogue balloon drips blue. (I love it when Lois tells off the creeps.)
Plot Plug 1:
My theory is that "plot plugs" come into play when the creators have a cool idea (let's make a human robot powered by Superman's greatest weakness: Kryptonite (and we shall call him Metallo)), and then they concoct a story around that idea.
Unfortunately from there, it seems, the plot is haphazardly stitched together as the panels go along (instead of mapping out plot points in advance), leaving sometimes huge logic gaps in their wake.
Plot plugs are then necessary between panels in an attempt to fill in the logic gaps created (often with little success). The creators have a character summarize in their dialogue what has happened "off-stage" to address these logic problems.
For example, when Metallo raids nuclear sites in order to obtain the uranium he needs to stay alive, he is described as a Man of Steel who has the strength of Superman.
So, when the TV news reports on these raids, how do they know that Superman is not, in fact, responsible for these crimes (especially since Metallo is not depicted as being caught in the act/observed committing them)?
Well, "lab tests" prove that no "human" could have committed these crimes. (What tests those could be boggles the mind, and Superman is not "human," so he still could be a suspect.)
But wait, there's more. These tests actually prove that ONLY a "robot" made of "pure metal" could have committed these crimes. Oh. I see...
Plot Plug 2:
Later, when Corben/Metallo is thwarted in obtaining the uranium he needs, he returns to Professor Vale's lab. The Professor Vale whom Corben had callously left on the floor to die after an avalanche caused Vale to have a stroke. The Professor Vale who had saved Corben by putting him in the metallic shell to begin with.
Corben: "Good! You've recovered from your stroke!... What was that
second substance I can use? You collapsed before you could tell me!"
Did they just change their minds about killing Professor Vale off? Was he always intended to recover from his stroke so he could finally share this vital information with Corben? (And, why would Vale help the man who had left him for dead?)
Plot Plug 3:
Towards the end of the story, the creators clearly need Lois to discover that Metallo is faking being Superman, but because they are running out of panel room (?), they have Metallo's Superman costume rip on Lois' doorknob (?) revealing his metallic body to her.
The sudden contrivance is amusing, but holy heck, a doorknob?
Final Notions:
Essentially, the "plot plug" is just a modern spin-off of
deus ex machina (which can be found throughout classic literature). Nonetheless, it bugs me.
Which parts of the story should be depicted in the art panels and how much should be conveyed by words (in dialogue/thought balloons and narrative boxes)? I hadn't realized how sophisticated and important these story-telling choices can be.
I find I have little enjoyment of comics that do not incorporate the elements of good story-telling (pacing, characterization, logical structure) to convey their creators' very cool ideas, but I am beginning to appreciate just how hard a task it is to craft a good comic.
The Comics Read But Left Behind:
Series: World’s
Finest Comics (1941)
Issue #: 071
Copyright: DC Comics
Cover Date: July-August 1954
Cover Price: 10¢
Page Count: 28 pages
Print Release: 26-May-1954
Digital Release: 18-February-2016
Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Cover Art:
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Source Links:
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Story Title:
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“Batman –
Double for Superman!”
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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Tomahawk: “Feathered
Fighters for Freedom!”
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Series: Showcase
(1956)
Issue #: 004
Copyright: DC Comics
Cover Date: October 1956
Cover Price: 10¢
Page Count: 24 pages
Print Release: 22-August-1956
Digital Release: 13-August-2011
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Writers:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Cover Art:
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Source Links:
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comiXology / Comic Vine / Wikipedia
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Story Titles:
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“Mystery of the
Human Thunderbolt!”; "The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier!”
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Series: Adventure
Comics (1938)
Issue #: 247
Copyright: DC Comics
Cover Date: April 1958
Cover Price: 10¢
Page Count: 25 pages
Print Release: 19-February-1958
Digital Release: 24-March-2012
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Cover Art:
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Source Links:
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Story Title:
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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Aquaman: “Aquaman’s
Super Sea-Squad”
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The Comic Covered Here:
Series: Action
Comics (1938)
Issue #: 252
Copyright: DC Comics
Cover Date: May 1959
Cover Price: 10¢
Page Count: 28 pages
Print Release: 18-March-1959
Digital Release: 30-July-2011
Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Cover Art:
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Source Links:
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Story Title:
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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Writer:
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Penciler:
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Inker:
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Colorist:
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None Listed
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Story Title:
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