“Yesterday’s” Comic> Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink #0

“Around the same time some pencilneck started asking me stupid questions.”

Dr. Blink: Superhero Shrink #0

Dork Storm Press (April, 2004)

John Kovalic

Christopher Jones

Meet Doctor Frederick Wertham Blink (because I cannot escape that name!). He’s a shrink for some of First City’s biggest superheroes (and occasionally supervillains). He…may not be doing the city a favor given that in one of the two-page shorts he pretty much talks Captain Omnipotent and in another he convinces supervillain The Quizzler out of leading the heroes to his evil schemes. In a larger story we learn after putting out a best-selling book about superhero psychological and emotional problems (after two heroes bust up his office because they think they’re in a Marvel comic), leading him to becoming a “specialist in supra-human psychology”.

What they got right: I don’t know how many of these come from back-ups in Dork Tower, as mentioned on a page where Kovalic discusses how he came up with the comic. The “secret origin” allows the book to be more than a bunch of two-page gags (I’ve had enough of those in the Golden Age anthologies), and while I wasn’t falling down laughing they were amusing. There’s also a section with more of First City’s heroes and villains who don’t appear in the comic but I’m guessing are from the back-up shorts.

What they got wrong: I’m only guessing Blink is supposed to not be the best at this given the aforementioned de-heroing Superman stand-in Captain Omnipotent. Then again, his first and middle name do align with another therapist who hated Superman, so are we sure this wasn’t on purpose?

What I think overall: This is was an amusing superhero parody that doesn’t seem to hate superheroes (though the verdict is out on not-Superman versus their view of actual Superman). I could read more of these.