Null & Void Part V: The Final Chapter

WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #307, DC Comics, September 1984
Null & Void's story ends with the sketchy art of Trevor von Eeden, which has its moments, but is extremely hard to decipher at times.

As you may remember (because it was only two posts ago, take you ADD medicine), Superman had just barged in on X'ult's shotgun wedding to a pirate girl trapped in "congealed time". Well, doesn't take X'ult any time at all to trap Superman the same way! Finally, Void prods an origin story out of the "Master Pirate". Seems like X'ult is an alien who came to Earth back in the dinosaur days and who hoped to rule the planet. Unfortunately, his environment adapter was damaged and melted into the rock later worshiped by Caribbean natives and with the unforeseen ability to give random powers to humans. All of X'ult's people have the time congealing power, which they use to prolong their lives during space flight. And well, I guess that "explains" everything.

Though not why he is so obsessed with Barracuda becoming his unholy bride.
One touch of his palm to hers and she is his (what happened to touching his magic chest?). The next step is creating a giant sailboat out of solid time and going after the Commies.
Before boarding, Void makes sure to lock Batman, Null and Swordfish in different cells. Did you know that Batman is the type of fellow who whistles while he works?
There's a time factor that's not real well explained, because instead of spending 80 seconds opening their cells the tried and true way, he opts to "complete the circuit" between their two hands.
What he'll do for thrills... In the meantime, Superman has found a way to fly back through time at super-speed, digging him out of the block of time ice. Off they all go after X'ult's ship. Everybody pairs off, providing us with a Batman-Void rematch!
Void forgets this is a team-up book, one with about four heroes running around at this point. His former friend Null in particular.
Swordfish snaps Barracuda out of her crush on X'ult, and then Superman provides a giant-ass deus ex machina by spinning around the ship and sending it back in time along with the three pirates. Just like the Superman movie. Ack. So the immortal X'ult is just 300 years in the past? How does that solve anything? Way to pollute the timeline, Superman.

And what about Null & Void? Do they get back together?
Afraid not. I guess Sol confessed to everything, they were both sent to jail, and were then wiped out in the Crisis on Infinite Earths, never to return. I know the Platinum Age is big on bringing back Silver Age losers, but what about the Bronze Age's? No love?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Nice story. Found this while searching about my old comics. I have a vew "bronze age" comics and this is one of these.