Null & Void Part III

WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #305, DC Comics, July 1984
The saga of Null & Void continues! What's the fascination? Well, in a sense I love the idea of them in the World's Finest rogues' gallery. They show that even villains can have friendships. Not everybody's a psycho or untrustworthy! So as Batman and Superman are best friends, so can Null and Void be old pals.

Quick recap: Supes and Bats follow N&V to the waters of Costa Rica because of a strange man trapped in ice who has the N&V tattoo on his chest. Superman also finds a pirate couple equally trapped in ice. In the ensuing melee, the first ice man and Superman are whisked away into Void's void. What's inside Void? Apparently, a number of Trevor von Eden full page layouts!
Yeah, that's effed-up shit. Especially trying to read it.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, Batman discovers that the pirate lovers aren't really in ice, but in congealed spacetime. Same stuff that prevents watched pots from boiling. At the same time, a Soviet vessel (oh, Red Scare, how quaint you are!) harpoons the frozen lovers and drags it out into the water.
The Swede ship hosting the action does the same and the block of spacetime is split in two. The Ruskies get the girl, and the Swedes get the boy. Batman returns to the ship in time to see Null pwn Void because, hey, enough is enough. Who wants Batman on their ass for the rest of time over some silly ice guy.
When Void wakes up, he escapes to the void within himself where he finds Superman. No worries, he just sends him back to the real world and sits by the ice man until his powers wears off... and he is trapped forever! Without the touch of the tattoo, there's not much these guys can do. Shouldnta broken off the friendship, Null. Friendship is your POWER!

And there's the matter of the stolen girl. The Soviet ship is heading for Cuban waters, and well, Superman's promised never to violate sovereign air space. Of course, he has the power of Super-Justification to help him.
Sadly, the Reds reach Cuban waters before Superman gets to them, so it's up to Batman and the de-powered Null to jump ship. Incidentally: Things that tickle Batman:
A strange thing to think, but no less strange than Batman having to cheat at charades to make Null understand that he should touch palms with the pirate in ice whose extended hand has, once again, that same tattoo. Ah, now he's getting it...
Not only does it turn him into Null, but it frees Pirate Boy and turns him into a super-powered version of himself... Swordfish!
He and the Barracuda are apparently the Null & Void of the 17th century! Wow, another duo for time to forget all about after the Crisis hits! Do they also have the Power of Friendship? Well, we know that they used to fight the original tattoo guy, an alien called Xul't who coincidentally just freed himself back in Void's void. How does it all end? We'll just have to keep going.

Rating this issue is hard... Though I like von Eden's expressive art, it's a little too gonzo for the middle part of a story drawn by Steve Lightle. And does Superman have to look like he's 90? Similarly, though I like the friendship sundering metaphor, I'm not sure I care for the new pirate duo. Are they going to steal my heroes' spotlight?

Comments

rob! said…
i dig that Trevor Von Eeden artwork!
I love this saga only for a simple reason, it's different than the other ones we are accustomed to see in the comic books, this one is more rude and idealistic.
Viagra Cheap Viagra