Post-Legends podcast, I was jawing with Michael Bailey and the other contributors to that show, and someone mentioned the scene above, in which the Phantom Stranger hangs out on Apokolips and plays HeroClix with Darkseid. And seeing that sweet giant medallion around his neck, off I was musing about disco, and how the Fourth World premiered just a tad too early to have a disco-inspired New God travolting through the streets of New Genesis. Or did it?
No, stop, I don't mean the Maroon 5 precursor band's Fourth World album and first single. Why would your mind even go there? No, I mean characters from Jack Kirby's quartet of books in the early 70s, which presented science-fiction gods and DNAliens based on all sorts of looks - historical, sports, the hippie movement, Planet of the Apes... - so why not Disco? Well, like I said, the Fourth World was created a little too early for that, though Jimmy Olsen certainly had his days. But I'm sure Jack Kirby would have gone that route eventually. And perhaps he touched on it in some way in those proto-disco days.
So who ARE the most disco characters in Jack Kirby's Fourth World? Here are the Top 3...
3. Lightray. First of all, he dresses in white, and white is definitely a disco color. If only he had a plunging neck line. Second, Lightray is a living disco ball and could give your evening an incredible light show.
2. Glorious Godfrey. Another man in white, this time with a generous helping of gold lamé. If there's a guy who's going to ask you what your sign is in a club, it's gonna be Godfrey. But my top choice is a more obscure character...
1. Terry Dean. Owner of the Cosmic Carousel discothèque, this cool chick appeared in a handful of Kirby's Jimmy Olsen stories and even survived to make a few appearances after them (including one post-Crisis!). Kirby didn't really know what this new music form was, so he sort of invented it.
But even if Terry was still very sixties, no one can say she didn't have the moves.
Next week: Did Superman disco?
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