Clyde-49…is watching you sleep.
Cartoon Network Presents #9
Featuring Toonami
(DC Comics (April, 1998)
BUMPER WRITER: Matt Wayne BUMPER PENCILER: J.J. Birch BUMPER INKER: Mike DeCarlo COVER ART: Simon Erich EDITOR: Bronwyn Taggart The Herculoids: “She Loved Me Like A Zok” WRITER: Matt Wayne PENCILER: Graham Manley INKER: Jorge Pacheco COLORIST: Bernie Mireault LETTERER: Ken Lopez Birdman: “Birdman In A Gilded Cage” WRITER: Michael Kraiger PENCILER: J.J. Birch INKER: Mike DeCarlo COLORIST: Kevin Somers LETTERER: John Costanza
Moltar is hungry for more entertainment, and Clyde-49 is going to bring it to him. First up is Moltar’s favorite, the Herculoids. Zok is shedding his scales and must go to the highest peak they can find so his new ones can dry in the sun. That’s tough when the one their lifting up there is the only one who can’t fly. Then there’s Zok’s mother.
What they got right: I do like a tale now and then where characters aren’t fighting a supervillain but just dealing with their lives to help their friends. Zok is usually the one who flies in at the last minute to save everybody so it’s good that he needs help and his friends do so without hesitation.
What they got wrong: I don’t know where Zok’s mother came from but while I personally love the idea and exploring more of Zok’s backstory this will be ignored by future Herculoid stories (of which I hope there will be) not published by DC and that will be a sad thing.
Moltar is less happy to see Birdman, which is odd because the Herculoids once stopped his attempt to kill Space Ghost. Maybe it’s just an anti-superhero bias? There’s a woman that would not only disagree with him, but is obsessed enough with both birds and Birdman that she’ll try to force him to love her by taking him prisoner. Good thing Birdman has Avenger to help him.
What they got right: So a woman named Birdwell whose father used to make weapons and is now obsessed with birds thinks Birdman is the only man that could be her mate. Yeah, that’s the type of stories I grew up with.
What they got wrong: While I appreciate that a light-absorbing blanket is something new I hope before this is all over they find a new way to challenge Birdman without the “drained of solar energy” schtick that even I admit the cartoons did too often.
Recommendation: The first story was very good and the second story was decent. It’s worth a look for fans of these characters.
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