If anyone out there reading these words finds themselves moved to pick up this series from their local retailer's "back issue" bins -- and they should be, overall --

... it's okay to skip this one, ultimately.

Overall Grade, then: C-. Of interest primarily to TITANS completists, and/or Wolfman or Oliffe enthusiasts.

... or, in other words: "Ehhh."

Now, Mark Waid's DIAL "H" FOR HERO #1, on the other hand...

... now, this is how the whole "individual-chapter-within-a-multi-title-

series" thang is s'posed to be handled, by golly, by jingo!

"The One-Man Justice League!" [July, 2000; the aforementioned Mark Waid, author; Barry Kitson, artist] plays fair with the series' concept, and then some: rigorously adhering to the campy, Silver Age-y "feel" of the original HOUSE OF MYSTERY series, whilst (simultaneously) moving both the overall mini-series plot and the characterization of "Robby Reed" forward. (... not too shabby an accomplishment, that; especially when one pauses to reflect upon how despairingly few of the other writers involved in said project managed to duplicate it, in turn.)

One might quibble, conceivably -- just as Unca did, earlier, re: the artwork for the TEEN TITANS one-shot -- that failing to utilize original series artist Jim Mooney (other than for the attractive and intelligently crafted cover, I mean) qualifies, similarly, as failure both of execution and storytelling nerve. However: the fact that the aforementioned gent was allowed to display his nigh-legendary craft on the "Dial" story previously referenced, in SILVER AGE SECRET FILES, mitigates (somewhat) what would have stood out, otherwise, as a glaring and egregious oversight.

That much being stated, then: Kitson's artwork is strong and suitable, throughout; and Waid's story serves admirably as much-needed "set-up" for events yet to come, at series' end.

Like Karl Kesel's CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN, then: nothing less than a certified, one-hundred-and-ten-percent storytelling success.

[UNCA CHEEKS' ASIDE: ... and to those noisome and pestilential message board mavens, out there, who whined and whinnied ceaselessly over how gosh-darned "silly" the whole DIAL "H" FOR HERO concept is --

[... You. Just. Don't. Get. It. Do. You?]

Overall Grade, then: the first of our three A+ grades awarded; and a welcome tonic, in advance, for the appreciably less happy and/or efficacious offering, following...

THE FLASH #1 [July, 2000; Brian Augustyn, script; Ty Templeton and Norm Breyfogle, artists] -- much like the previously referenced TITANS effort -- promises much, with yet another well-executed cover courtesy of a recognized Silver Age veteran (in this case, longtime FLASH artist extraordinaire Carmine Infantino)...

... and then promptly stumbles, straight out of the starting gate.

The entire first half of the book (!!) is, inexplicably, given over to "The Flash's Big Day"; a discouragingly drab (and wholly unconnectedto the larger SILVER AGE storyline, overall) short-short, featuring the (thankfully) mostly forgotten FLASH foe, the Turtle, whose signature super-criminal "gimmick" -- that he moves so much more s-l-o-w-l-y than everyone else around him -- has never made much sense really, even by the (occasionally) deranged standards of the real Silver Age.

Things improve, somewhat -- they'd almost have to, really -- with the second story, herein: the Breyfogle-penciled "Mystery of the Living Thunderbolt," featuring keynote Silver Age FLASH characters Kid Flash and the Elongated Man.

Having left himself but a scant twelve pages to work with, by this point: Augustyn's follow-up effort -- was displaying wholly admirable splashes of invention and verve -- is all but over before it decently begins, really; leaving the reader vaguely dissatisfied, and wondering (ultimately) what might have come of it, with just a little more room to breathe properly.

... and: nothing against either Templeton or Breyfogle, certainly -- both men being manifestly talented at what they do -- but: the same inevitable head-scratching applies here, as well as elsewhere, as to why this series' justly lauded Silver Age artist of record (Carmine Infantino, in this instance)was relegated solely to cover art duty.

I mean: this series is called SILVER AGE, right...?

Overall Grade, then: C-. With a handwritten note across the bottom of the report card to the effect that this student should concentrate more upon his given homework assignments, and less upon extra-curricular activities

DOOM PATROL #1 was -- case closed; no question -- the single SILVER AGE offering to which a panting and eager Unca was most eagerly looking forward: with the mega-talented author of DC's HOURMAN at the storytelling helm, and the much-beloved characters of Cliff [Robotman] Steele; Larry [Negative Man] Trainor; Rita [Elasti-Girl] Farr; and Niles [The Chief] Caulder making a long, looooonnnnng overdue full-length reappearance.

It just seems so deucedly unfair, then, that DOOM PATROL #1 ended up being -- case closed; no question -- the single greatest disappointment of all the SILVER AGE one-shots, ultimately.

One doesn't like to be unfair, of course. The Silver Age DOOM PATROL series -- drolly authored by the sly and saucy Arnold Drake; and penciled by that most painstaking and subtle of comics craftsmen, Bruno Premiani -- was as unmistakably sui generis, in its way, as anything conjured up (in their respective heydays) by Carl Barks, or Mac Raboy, or Will Eisner. And one cannot decently fault new bottles, certainly, for failing to provide more appreciably distilled spirits, upon decanting.

That much being freely granted and acknowledged, then...

... DOOM PATROL #1 [ "The War of the Super-Weapons!"; July, 2000; Tom Peyer, author; Bachan, artist] still won't do much to convince any post-Silver Age readers that they missed out on much of anything, really, in not having being around for those earlier, oft-referenced Drake/ Premiani masterworks.

Author Peyer makes a valiant and wholly praiseworthy effort at duplicating the sharp, cyanide-laced verbal byplay which was such a highpoint of Drake's DOOM PATROL, with admirable (and even witty) results...

... but the accompanying artwork by Bachan -- a name heretofore unknown to Unca -- sabotages and vitiates much of this, in its (sadly) more-than-occasional sloppiness, and inattention to storytelling detail. (Most glaringly apparent, in particular, in the slapdash approach to the nuances of facial expression, and panel-to-panel character consistency.)

There's an old Jules Fieffer cartoon, in which two lamppost-leaning rogues are admiring a delectably curvaceous female form sashaying sexily past them, sans head.

One of the two gents therein remarks to the other, casually: "... nice legs, though."

For what it's worth: Tom Peyer's script for DOOM PATROL #1 is the comics equivalent of simply fabulous legs.

Overall Grade, then: C+. With the understanding that some signal artistic achievements may actually be, upon final analysis, well and truly beyond any meaningful hope of duplication; much less improvement.

Not that Unca wouldn't have minded seeing the estimable Mr. Peyer given a halfway decent chance to try, minus the storytelling equivalent of being locked in a steamer trunk, with both hands manacled behind his back.

DC comes much, much closer to getting it "right," thankfully, with THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1; attributable, in no small measure, to the welcome efforts of an actual, genuine, for-real, Silver Age talent: longtime comics scripting maestro Bob Haney.

"The Great Gotham Switcheroo!" [THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1; July, 2000; Bob Haney, author; Kevin Maguire, artist] actually feels like an honest-to-God Silver Age offering, in (virtually) every vital particular. Bob Haney's trademarked tongue-in-cheek dialogue has lost none of its loopily endearing charm, since last we've seen it; and Kevin Maguire displays an uncommon (and decidedly welcome) understanding of how best to reliably handle this sort of thing, ultimately: perfectly straightfaced, without any of the heavy-handed, "post-ironic" winking and mugging so drearily de rigueur nowadays, in efforts such as these.

Characters are intelligently introduced, for the benefit of the casual reader; the plot is advanced, with a steady sureness of hand; and a great good time is had, by one and all.

Other than the weird and inexplicable decision to portray the temporarily-transformed-into-human Platinum as sporting what appears to be a miniaturized grain silo atop her adorably tousled head, throughout the second half of the book --

... this one's a minor gem, through and through.

Overall Grade, then: B-. (That business with Platinum's hat-thingie is really, really annoying, all right... ?)

Okay. So. In descending order of general, overall wonderfulness (or lack thereof), thus far:

1.) DIAL "H" FOR HERO #1............................................ A+

2.) CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #1.................. A-

3.) SILVER AGE #1........................................................ B+

4.) SILVER AGE SECRET FILES #1............................. B+

5.) THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1.............................. B-

6.) DOOM PATROL #1................................................... C+

7.) TEEN TITANS #1...................................................... C-

8.) FLASH #1................................................................. C-

9.) JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1....................... D-

At this juncture, then -- three-quarters of the way through the series -- we're still hovering at "C" level, basically.

Still a full letter grade higher, in other words, than your average, dopey DC (or Marvel) Comics "event," a la (say) SINS OF YOUTH; or AGE OF APOCALYPSE; or JLA/TITANS; or (God help us all) MARVEL SUPER-

HEROES SECRET WARS. (I or II.)

... but (again: overall): nothing to write home about, either...

... yet.

Turn to Page Three, however...

... and: things change, in one great, gallumphing hurry.

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE ONE)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE THREE)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE FOUR)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE FIVE)

The SILVER AGE Limited Series (PAGE SIX)