Dial H issues 1& 2
Writer: China Mieville
Artist: Mateus Santolouco
Dial H is about a mysterious phone dial that enables your average Joe Schmoe to become a super hero for a short period of time. Just dial the letters H-E-R-O in order and KA-POW….top of the food chain.
What makes this idea interesting is that each time it is used, the dial causes the possessor to become a super being with a different name, costume, and powers. Some versions of said dial are loaded with different letters, such as, V-I-L-L-A-I-N or H-O-R-R-O-R, gifting other kinds of incarnations.
The original series debuted in the House of Mystery, way back in the days of Luna 9 and paisley shirts (also known as 1966). The art was done by Jim Mooney with scripts by Dave Wood.
The second Dial H for hero series hit the shelves the same time as Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” ruled the air waves, and Klinger was dolling himself up in drag ergo 1981. H ran first in Legion of Super-Heroes, then ran in Adventure Comics and continued for a short run in New Adventures of Super Boy. An interesting fact about this series was that the readers could submit new hero and villain characters, which DC then used in the comic. The poor suckers were given credit for their creations and a t-shirt with the Dial H logo, but the characters became DC comic’s property. This little tid-bit of information makes me wonder how many super types DC was able to horn swaggle from its readers. The original writers and picture maker were Marv Wolfman and Carmine Infantino.
Fast forward to 2012 and the time of the Mayan doomsday and gay super heroes and we find DC re-birthing this old gem. The story is set in the town of Littleville as it has been since its original run. This time around our man with the dial is a fat slob named Nelson.
In the first issue, Nelson dials H-E-R-O twice. The first time Nelson transforms into Boy Chimney, a Tim Burton (William and his “Tim Burton For Life” tattoo just got excited) like skeletal gentleman with super human reflexes, poison gas that spews from his rather large top hat, smoke manipulation, brick hard skin, clairvoyance, and the ability to walk on smoke.
The second time he dials up, Captain Lachrymose. Now all of you highly educated individuals know lachrymose means to induce tears or given to weeping (I had to look it up). Captain Crybaby is a hipster who draws strength from people’s most traumatic memories and emotional breakdowns.
In the second issue, we get dialed three more times. The first up is Skeet. Picture The Great Gazoo from the Flintstones but Red, and with a skeet-like hula hoop around his waist. He spins around a lot. Lame. Next up is Ctrl-Alt-Delete. IF you’ve read Saga (if you haven’t you should be very ashamed of yourself) he looks like a rougher more static Prince Robot IV.
Then comes the Iron Snail. A military commando equipped with a massive armored shell on tank tracks, big ass guns, which launch noxious slime and ferrochochlean sense (look this one up for yourself).
We are also graced with brief glimpses of the Human Virus, Shamanticore, and Pelican Army (I love this one…if he doesn’t get more exposure then I’ll…), Double Bluff, Hole Punch, and the Rancid Ninja.
I don’t know what else I can say except China Mieville is a damn genius. So many strange and intriguing characters in a grim and bleak setting. I’m on the bus until the very last stop with this title. Just when I swore off DC almost entirely, they pull this rabbit out of their moth ravaged hat.
All you gamers out there might find it interesting that China co-authored Pathfinder’s Guide to River Kingdoms.
Madman
No comments:
Post a Comment