Crisis Who? II

Does Who's Who truly act as a spotter's guide to Crisis on Infinite Earths? Part I of this investigation revealed that no, it actually didn't. Omissions big (Superman of Earth-1) and small (Solovar) were addressed, and now we keep on going on, looking at issues 5-8 of Crisis. Who was somehow left out of Who's Who?

Alanna is one of several supporting characters to appear in Crisis' second act, and as Adam Strange's paramour, maybe we think she's been appropriately covered by HIS entry. The Patriarchy, amirite?

In the back row with villains is Samurai, sadly not the Super-Friends' Samurai, but Sumo the Samurai, an Earth-2 Wonder Woman villain (first appearance 1978) who had recently shown up in All-Star Squadron, and would later appear in Young All-Stars. So where's his entry?!

Another Super-Friends near miss is Vulcan, so no, not the show's Black Vulcan. Rather, it's the obscure Earth-2 villain who briefly appeared in the 70s revival of All-Star Comics, after which Roy Thomas used him a couple times in his Earth-2 books (most prominently in All-Star Squadron Annual #2). Mayfair also put him in their Suicide Squad adventure module as a playable mort. And hilariously, his real name is Christopher Pike! That's more than enough for a Who's Who inclusion!

People like to say that photographer in the background is Peter Parker of Earth-616. SO WHERE'S MY SPIDER-MAN ENTRY IN WHO'S WHO?????

Finally moving on to issue 6, let me bundle Sterling Morris and Joan Jameson of Earth-S, a big part of Captain Marvel's supporting cast. Unlike Uncle Marvel, they never wore a costume so didn't even get to take part in a Marvel Family group shot or anything. Do they think WHIZ radio runs ITSELF?

In #7, we start with Fireman Fred Farrell. If there ever was a poster child for this investigation... Fred was a HEADLINER, albeit for the briefest of times. Showcase #1, folks. He had his own strip and made the cover! It didn't continue, but he did show up every once and again whenever somebody thought to give a fireman a line of dialog, even as late as Action Comics #693 in 1993. Most importantly, Who's Who was very good at showcasing (there's that word again) the many genres it published (alas, no romance comics as they didn't have continuing stars, I guess). We've got westerns, and spies, and aviators, and war heroes, and supernatural investigators, and private eyes, and pirates, and swordsmen, and cruise ship captains, and gladiators, and well, you get the point. Just no first responders. Where's my Lady Cop and my Fireman Farrell?

Perry White eventually showed up in an Update, but he's the only big Superman Family supporting cast member not to get one in the main book. I know he never actually sported a costume, which is how Jimmy and Lana got in, or had his own book, which I guess is how they justified an uncostumed Lois, but lost to the ages is Perry flying around thanks to his magic cigars! An Earth-1 Perry, filled with Silver Age power, is what I'm crying about here.

No Who's Whomissions in #8. It's a miracle! If you're running the numbers, that's 14 omissions total to date, though not all created equal. Still, I think there's a good case to be made for 4 of the characters above. To be concluded!