Back Issue # 166 April 2026 (magazine review)
The sub-title of this 166th edition of ‘Back Issue’ is ‘Partner Up!’ Essentially, a focus on various partnerships but not side-kicks. The starting one is Lois Lane and, as writer John Wells points out, she’s been around as long as Superman himself. Her history has varied over the years, especially to the Man of Steel and whether she spotted the Clark Kent connection or kept it to herself and then a bit of married life with them. It would be interesting to see this expanded to all the women in Superman’s life, especially a there used to be Giant-Size issues showing so many of them. I mean, its only Lana Lang and Lois Lane who seemed obsessed with the relationship and nether thought through how much Superman evaded this. No one seems to have spotted Lois’ hair colour changing over the years. Nevertheless, she is probably the most long-lived female supporting character in American comicbooks.
I’ve never read the Herandez brothers ‘Love And Rockets’. Writer Ben Herman gives the history of its two leads, Maggie and Hopey, and the origin of the names. I’m wiser from the article but not wiser to the title.
Writer Joseph Norton looks at the forgotten girlfriend of Peter Parker, Debra Whitman, who didn’t like Spider-Man. In many respects, Parker’s girlfriends have been mostly stable, even Felicia Hardy in her own way. Debra got in mostly slipped in as working for the same employer as Parker was and fell for him. It was always going to be a sticky (sic) relationship and, even when I read it, didn’t think it was going to last.
I’ve never heard of ‘Brat Pack’ by Rick Veitch, originally in 1991, but writer Tom Powers not only explains it but interviews him as well. I haven’t read the volumes but they are the anthesis of being side-kicks and what they do when they leave their mentors.
Writer Bryan D. Shroud looks in on the second member of Batman’s team. Originally, on Earth-2, it was his cubby detective-like butler, Alfred Beagle. His continuation and change in appearance on Earth-1 and he became Alfred Pennyworth. I’m familiar with a lot of his history, having reviewed some of his tales last year. Its interesting seeing it as a collective here. I was originally going to say Batman is unique to have a butler in his inner circle and who else has a butler? Of course, Tony Stark had Edwin Jarvis but we never saw him butler for him, just in his capacity when running the Avengers Mansion.
Writer Steven Thompson looks at ‘Milk & Cheese’, a panel strip by Evan Dorkin with two stale angry dairy products. It must be an American thing but does give the impression of being angry at everything.
I’m a bit confused with having Hawkeye and Mockingbird here, as they were a team and married couple. Writer Paul Burns gives the rundown on their up and down relationship. I’m less sure about his comments that Hawkeye barely got out of high school before becoming a carnival archer. I mean, he had to be pretty savvy to design his trick arrows. I always liked Mockingbird’s costume but thought her strange head-masks didn’t always do her justice. The fact they were united to parallel a certain pair at DC Comics wasn’t something I’d never compared because they are basically different characters.
As usual, a mixed bag of characters. What I didn’t know, I learnt from the rest. All good to help your American comicbook lore.
GF Willmetts
May 2026
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6904. Direct from them, you can get it for $10.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_54&products_id=1887&zenid=ht8v6s7qq55auvkr046spd56d7
