THE NEW TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #2 The Murder Machine (1983) by Marv Wolfman and George Perez
Friday, 9. June 2006, 13:26:49
The first appearance of the second Vigilante. The Golden Age Vigilante was singing cowboy Greg Sanders (later changed to Saunders). This new Vigilante is Adrian Chase and this is where he becomes the Vigilante. The story opens with a news update reporting the fire bombing of Manhattan District attorney Adrain Chase's apartment. Through the various reports we discover that Chase was a tough DA, and that he worked with Robin (as in Batman and ..) on an illegal raid on mobster Anthony Scarapelli. Captain Hall of the NYPD mentions that an investigation has started on the explosion.
Scarapelli is beind the explosion much to the dismay of of his godmother, Donna Omicido. Through more news updates we discover that Adrian survived the explosion although he has shrapnel too near his heart to remove. Without Chase, the case against Scarapelli falls apart.*
Robin gathers the rest of the Titans (Cyborg, Starfire, Terra, Changeling, Wonder Girl)to get Scarapelli. Scarapelli hires several superpowered assassins. In his breifing to the rest of the Titans, Robin mentions that to get Scarapelli the methods might not be totally legal.
During the Titans harrassment of Scarapelli, his hired assassins turn up, two of whom are killed by an outside agency.
The Titans then foil Scarapelli's assassination attempt on Donna Omicido. Scarapelli flees and is confronted by the Vigilante, who killed the assassins. Robin deduces this and tries to stop The Vigilante who is revealed as Adrian Chase. In the firefight Robin and Chase are injured and Scarapelli is killed.
A lot of potential here for the Vigilante who might have challenged The Punisher, in later posts I will review several issues of the Vigilante's own series.
I had to have chuckle at the idea of the Titans debating about becoming vigilantes in trying to get Scarapelli. Uh Guys you're already vigilantes, deal, and bust this scuzz already.
*as an aside since when can you testify in a mask and costume?
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 9. June 2006, 15:49
I always liked the cowboy better. During the '70s he had a short run of back up stories that resembled McCloud. This version of the Vigilante was enjoyable too, but I don't think DC really took advantage of the character's potential.
Anonymous # 9. June 2006, 18:21
I almost forgot, Have you read any of the Vigilante series by V.J. Santiago?
AggressorBrad # 10. June 2006, 05:24
The Cowboy Vigilante has certainly maintained a higher profile having his own serial and appearing in Justice League Unlimited.
I'll be mentioning just how much The Vigilante's potential was wasted in my reviews of the series that followed. I think that some comic writers have no idea of how to deal with Aggressor characters. When I review The Essential Punisher we'll see the Punisher gun down litterers and jay walkers.
I've not heard of V.J. Santiago's Vigilante series. Do tell more.
Brad
Anonymous # 10. June 2006, 17:17
Actually, the guy who (for me , at least) did the best work on the character was Paul Kuppeberg (generally not my brest comic writer, but here he shone).
But yes, it was a wasted character (except at the end).
I suppose that DC at the time was not a good place to do this stuff.
but, hell, i loved the Dennis Cowan run of the character.
By the way, The Denny o'Neil scripted Question, does or doesn`t fit the mold?
Roberto
http://elefantes_rosas.blogia.com
Anonymous # 10. June 2006, 18:30
The Vigilante series by Santiago is a fairly cheesy rip off of Death Wish. Joe Madden, an former marine, now an engineer with a photographic memory is mugged and his wife killed. After a bout with drunkeness, he takes a butcher knife and hunts muggers in New York. After killing one or two muggers, he manages to liberate a gun. He pretends to be a hit man and gets ammo for it.
I've read five books out of six in the series. Despite only having a six gun and a .32 eight shot pistol, he manages to knock off about 50 people in five weeks in five cities (New York, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit) and the cops don't notice a thing.
I really enjoy it, if only due to the cheese factor.
AggressorBrad # 13. June 2006, 09:47
Brad
AggressorBrad # 17. June 2006, 02:53
As to your question about the Question. In my mind, Vic Sage seems to fit the mould of the Aggressor but I'll have to read some more Question to be sure.