cover: Jim Aparo (signed)
title: "Swift Wing of Recompense!"
writer: Cary Burkett
art: Dan Spiegle
letterer: John Costanza
colorist: Gene D'Angelo
colorist: Gene D'Angelo
editor: Paul Levitz
Synopsis:
Nemesis tackles a mobster named Axle, to ask about the activity of Jack Vanders. Axle tells him Vanders is working a smuggling outfit in Houston, and that he was promoted due to his involvement with the Kingston Mob, who are untouchable now because they managed to assassinate Ben Marshall. This shocks Nemesis, who knows that his own brother killed Marshall.
Unfortunately for Nemesis, Axle takes advantage of his shock and begins to fight back. Nemesis barely manages to escape using his "freeze bullets," which successfully incapacitates Axle's goons. He drops (on purpose) a miniature scale of Justice so that his name is known.
Nemesis remembers that he was investigating Vanders because his dead brother, Craig, had been. Tom Tresser aka Nemesis had reviewed his brother's last cases and found Vanders' name. With the mention of Ben Marshall's murder, Nemesis is more determined than ever to investigate Vanders. He disguises himself as Vanders' friend Clyde Dole, currently incarcerated, and goes to Houston.
Nemesis eventually meets Vander and learns from him about Kingston Construction, which is building an airstrip for their dope smuggling. Nemesis breaks into Kingston Construction and finds evidence suggesting that the Kingston Mob *knew* Craig was a federal agent. Just for spite, Nemesis switches accounts between the drug smuggling airstrip and a legitimate airport's work, guaranteeing that the worse materials will go to the illegal work.
A few weeks later, after Nemesis has been undercover as Dole long enough to gain Vander's trust, Nemesis meets Kingston and manages to place "bug" on him when he orders Vanders and Nemesis to accompany a drug deal in a small private jet. After the airplane is airborne, however, turbulence causes Vanders to knock into Nemesis, revealing his disguise. Nemesis is forced to jump out of the single engine plane, using a jet pack to shoot himself higher into the atmosphere so that his parachute will open.
As the jet lands on the airstrip, its tires get caught in the low-quality tar of the airstrip, causing the jet to crash and burn.
Commentary:
With this story Nemesis begins another, new investigation. I like how writer Cary Burkett is able to establish one motivation (find out who Jack Vanders is) and then move the story in a totally different direction when Nemesis' brother's name comes up. And I like how, although this story is only eight pages long, Burkett tells us that vast amounts of time have taken place between scenes. It makes the story seem more realistic to think that Nemesis has been working for days without any success, until he finally finds his target.
One criticism is that Burkett seems too willing to "tell" too much. For an example, I offer Nemesis' use of a jet pack to escape certain death by parachuting at a low attitude. Although this makes sense, it necessitates quite a few Silver Age-type explanatory thought balloons that in my opinion stalls the story. Why couldn't the jet have been flying higher and just be done with it? Likewise, the dropping of the statue of Justice, and that whole sequence, seemed contrived. Are we to assume that Nemesis has already made such a name for himself after only one adventure? Or are we to assume that there have been untold stories already? I kind of like that idea, actually....
Dan Spiegle continues to provide mostly exciting layouts and graphic representation of the characters. I'm especially impressed (again) with the way that he is able to make every character look like an individual. Also, the details he puts into the close-ups, such as at the bottom of page 2, are fantastic. And the way he "breaks" the panel divisions for effect: this time the mobster who "falls down and out" of panel 3 on page 3 is just terrific!
On the other hand, there are no women and no people of color in this adventure....again. That is a complaint I will mention often, unfortunately. This is 1980, not 1960. I would think that DC would ask Dan to draw minorities into the backgrounds, at the very least.
One criticism is that Burkett seems too willing to "tell" too much. For an example, I offer Nemesis' use of a jet pack to escape certain death by parachuting at a low attitude. Although this makes sense, it necessitates quite a few Silver Age-type explanatory thought balloons that in my opinion stalls the story. Why couldn't the jet have been flying higher and just be done with it? Likewise, the dropping of the statue of Justice, and that whole sequence, seemed contrived. Are we to assume that Nemesis has already made such a name for himself after only one adventure? Or are we to assume that there have been untold stories already? I kind of like that idea, actually....
Dan Spiegle continues to provide mostly exciting layouts and graphic representation of the characters. I'm especially impressed (again) with the way that he is able to make every character look like an individual. Also, the details he puts into the close-ups, such as at the bottom of page 2, are fantastic. And the way he "breaks" the panel divisions for effect: this time the mobster who "falls down and out" of panel 3 on page 3 is just terrific!
On the other hand, there are no women and no people of color in this adventure....again. That is a complaint I will mention often, unfortunately. This is 1980, not 1960. I would think that DC would ask Dan to draw minorities into the backgrounds, at the very least.
- The team-up in this issue is between Batman and Green Arrow. "Shackles of the Mind!" by Cary Burkett and Jim Aparo, making this an all-Burkett issue of Brave and the Bold.
- In the letter column of this issue, DC editorial comments for the first time on the divided opinions fans are giving them regarding the Nemesis series. DC printed two letters, and their writers didn't agree. Here they are:
This story has not been reprinted.
Therefore, I gladly reproduce the eight page story in its entirety as it appeared in comic-book form. Please do not let it fall into the hands of the Kingston Mob!
Therefore, I gladly reproduce the eight page story in its entirety as it appeared in comic-book form. Please do not let it fall into the hands of the Kingston Mob!
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