COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “Who’s Who in the DC Universe” #3 (May 1985)

'DC's Who's Who' #3 (May 1985)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe” #3, which was published by DC Comics in May 1985. This 32-issue limited series, which ran through April 1987, catalogued the wide variety of superheroes, villains, headquarters, buildings, weapons, groups, etc. that were part of the “DC Universe” group of comics. It was basically an indexed reference encyclopedia in comic book form.

The creative team included Len Wein, writer and editor; Marv Wolfman, writer and consulting editor; Robert Greenberger, associate editor and researcher; Todd Klein, production; Brenda Pope, proofreader; and Neal Pozner, design director. Paul Levitz and Gary Cohn also served as writers, and Peter Sanderson and E. Nelson Bridwell served as researchers. Helen Vesik, Shelly Eiber, Tatjana Wood and Tom Zuiko were colorists.

A variety of artists worked on this issue including Murphy Anderson, Jim Aparo, Terry Austin, Pat Broderick, Denys Cowan, Paris Cullins, Mike DeCarlo, Frank Giacoia, Keith Giffen, Michael T. Gilbert, Ed Hannigan, Carmine Infantino, Rafael Kayanan, Gil Kane, Karl Kesel, Valention Kesel, Jack Kirby, Joe Kubert, Steve Lightle, Rick Magyar, Gary Martin, Shawn McManus, Jerry Ordway, Chuck Patton, George Perez, Steve Rude, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bob Smith, Joe Staton, Curt Swan, Romeo Tanghal, Greg Theakston, Al Williamson and Bill Willingham. Perez and Dick Giordano were the cover artists and the issue sold for $1 at newsstands.

“Who’s Who” #3 was a 32-page issue that contained 33 entries. Entries in this issue included:

-         Black Lightning

-         Black Manta

-         Black Orchid

-         Black Pirate

-         Black Racer

-         Blackrock

-         Black Spider

-         Blackstarr

-         Blockbuster

-         Blok

-         Blue Beetle

-         Blue Devil

-         Bolt

-         Bouncing Boy

-         Boy Commandos

-         Brain

-         Brainiac

-         Brainiac 5

-         Brain Storm

-         Brain Wave

-         Brainwave Jr.

-         Breathtaker

-         Bronze Tiger

-         Broot

-         Brother Blood

-         Brotherhood of Evil

-         Brother Power

-         Bug-Eyed Bandit

-         Bug

-         Byte

-         B’wana Beast

-         Byth

For those of you unfamiliar with “Who’s Who,” here’s an example of a typical entry. Blue Beetle is arguably the best known of all the characters in issue #3, and what follows is the complete “Blue Beetle” entry. Most entries for characters follow the same format.

BLUE BEETLE:

PERSONAL DATA:

Alter Ego: Theodore (Ted) Kord

Occupation: Research Scientist

Marital Status: Single

Known Relatives: Thomas Kord (father), Jarvis Kord (uncle, deceased)

Group Affiliation: None

Base of Operations: Hub City

First Appearance: CAPTAIN ATOM #83

Height: 5’11” Weight: 184 lbs.

Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown

HISTORY:

When archaeologist Dr. Daniel Garrett discovered a glowing blue scarab gem in the forbidden tomb of the evil ancient Egyptian pharaoh Kha-ef-re, he suddenly found himself clad in a skin-tight blue costume and possessed of extraordinary powers; super-strength, invulnerability, the gift of flight, as well as the ability to fire bolts of pure energy from his hands and eyes. Calling himself the Blue Beetle, Garrett spent the next several years using his awesome powers in defense of mankind.

One afternoon, Garrett received an urgent phone call from an old college acquaintance named Ted Kord. For the past several months, Kord had been working with his Uncle Jarvis on a project so secret even Kord did not know its true purpose.

The previous afternoon, Kord’s uncle had apparently been slain when his lab was destroyed in explosion, and in the ruins of the lab, Ted had found a small chest containing an old roll of film and a map of Pago Island.

After running the film, Ted discovered that his uncle’s experiments had created an army of super-androids with which Jarvis Kord intended to conquer the world. These androids were hidden on Pago Island, and Kord recruited Dan Garrett to help find them.

When they arrived on Pago Island, Dan and Ted discovered Jarvis Kord was still alive and planning to put his plans for world conquest into action. When Jarvis ordered his androids to capture the two men, Garrett used his sacred scarab to become the Blue Beetle, and in the course of the ensuring battle, Jarvis Kord was truly slain and Garrett himself mortally wounded.

Realizing he was dying, Garrett made Ted Kord promise to carry on the Blue Beetle’s fight for justice. Kord swore he would. Then before Ted could carry his wounded friend to safety, Jarvis Kord’s underground lab began to collapse, separating the two men and burying Dan Garrett and his mystic scarab under countless tons of rubble. Guilt-ridden, Ted Kord returned to civilization, intent upon continuing the career of the Blue Beetle. But without the mystic scarab, Kord’s job would not be easy.

From the pieces of some unfinished experiments in his absent father’s lab, Ted constructed a futuristic beetle-shaped aircraft he dubbed “The Bug.” During these same months, Kord undertook a rigorous physical fitness program, developing his body to athletic perfection. At last, having designed a new costume to go with the new motif, Ted Kord emerged as the new Blue Beetle and set forth to fulfill his promise to his friend.

POWERS & WEAPONS:

A skilled acrobat and Olympic-level athlete, the Blue Beetle is also an undisciplined hand-to-hand combatant who relies as much on agility as skill to defeat his opponents. He sometimes carries at his hip a pistol that fires a blinding strobe light, capable of creating momentary blindness when activated by sensors in the fingertips of his gloves.

The Blue Beetle’s “Bug” is a specially designed aircraft capable of speeds exceeding those of the finest helicopter. It can hover in midair, be submerged like a submarine, and has automated pincers in its forward section. The “Bug” also is equipped with a state-of-the-art lab, high-tech computers and living quarters, and can be remote-controlled by a series of electronic sensors in the Blue Beetle’s glove.

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.