Anthony Dean

Today's the birthday of Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. (Also thrown in: Golden Age DC funny-animal superhero the Terrific Whatzit.)

(Art by Scott Shaw, Dario Brizuela, Chuck Patton, and Carmine Infantino.)

#1976DCCalendar #DCComics #comics #TheFlash #JusticeSociety #CaptainCarrot #ScoobyDoo 

3:47pmWeb
Show threadAnthony Dean13h ago

Pre-Crisis, Jay Garrick was often referred to on Earth-1 as only existing there "in comic books", even into the 80s, when the general public's comic reading declined. (As shown by that guy with his "E.T."-shirt-wearing kid having a vague memory of Jay/his book's name.)

"Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew" seemed to point this out. The rest of the team find Rodney Rabbit's job (as a DC Comics writer/artist) a curiosity at best ("they still make those things?" is mentioned)...

Show threadAnthony Dean13h ago
...when the "JLA" ("Justa Lotta Animals") and their foes show up in their crossover, the rest of the Zoo Crew don't recognize anyone but Super-Squirrel, and that's only because of Earth-C's version of the then-current Christopher Reeve movies. (All to Rodney's dismay, of course.)
Show threadAnthony Dean13h ago
The Terrific Whatzit was DC's first funny-animal superhero, published in the 1940s (in humor book "Funny Stuff"). A turtle who didn't wear his shell while in costume (thus the "Whatzit" name, as his species was unclear); his powers mostly relied on speed, but some flight/strength too.
Show threadAnthony Dean13h ago
The "Zoo Crew" book made Fastback (the team's turtle speedster) the Terrific Whatzit's nephew. Said book also included with the "JLA" "the Crash", yet another turtle speedster (one who was inspired to become a hero by reading his world's comics about the Terrific Whatzit, a la Barry idolizing Jay).
Show threadAnthony Dean13h ago
Yes, DC Comics owns *three* turtle speedsters. And they own *four* turtle superheroes, if the Silver Age humor strip "Super-Turtle" (a turtle with Superman powers/costume) counts. Guess DC really likes turtles?
Show threadAnthony Dean12h ago
As for the Whatzit panel, I assume a "Schnauzer Tank" is an animal pun on some type of WWII-era tank, but I don'[t know what the real-world name would be. The story's writer's Roy Thomas, who was obsessed with the era/Golden Age heroes.