Nemesis 26: B&B #192

#26

Brave and the Bold #192 (November 1982)

Synopsis: 

Chicago's Shakespeare Unshackled Theatre is rehearsing Hamlet , but their star is not very good. Peter Downs, the untalented lead, is the boy toy of "Queen Irene," the financial backer of the theatre. In actually she is Irene Scarfield, the lone remaining mob boss of The Council. 

Between scenes, Nemesis steps in and takes Peter's place. By doing so, Nemesis hopes to learn directly from Irene what the council's "Operation Overkill" is. However, Scarfield drops Nemesis as Peter off at her place and heads off alone. 

Nemesis is picked up by Valerie and they trail her to her meeting in downtown Chicago. The listening device that he had planted on her allows them to hear what she and her cronies are planning. Immediately, Nemesis knows that he will have to involve The Batman, in the very next issue!

 

  

Commentary: 

As I was re-reading this story I got a very strong sense that it was something of a filler. Three pages are devoted to the Shakespeare troupe, with half a page taken up by an actual scene from Hamlet. Immediately afterwards, the scene shifts and we never get any more with the troupe. Instead we get three pages of following "Queen Irene," and then the story ends. We don't learn what Operation: Overkill is; in fact, we don't really learn anything of import this time out. We could have easily moved from last issue to next issue without this installment at all. 

As it is, this is one of the less interesting Nemesis adventures. I have to ask, how good an idea was it for Nemesis to take the place of the mob boss' lover? What was his intention if she had NOT gone to a meeting immediately after picking Nemesis/Peter up at the theatre? The obvious question is, if she had wanted a quick lay before her meeting, what would Nemesis have done? He obviously could not have taken Peter's place in her bed. Nemesis would have to somehow talk her out of sex, and/or somehow deserted the identity in the middle of his deception. Perhaps this is what was written, but then discarded, and that is why this story is only six pages long? Anyway, it's a bit too convenient that Nemesis gets the information he needs without any drama whatsoever. And is it just me, or is it symbolic that Dan Spiegle drew Nemesis' crotch as Irene's car drives off? 

Speaking of Dan Spiegle, he does another great job with all of the different characters in this story. He makes everyone look unique and different, except when he makes Nemesis and Peter look exactly the same. The man had talent. 

 

Spoiler alert, but this is the last Nemesis back-up installment by Cary Burkett and Dan Spiegle. It's the last time we see Valerie, and the last time we have Spiegle illustrate Nemesis. There is a blurb in this issue's letter page saying that as of this issue Len Wein is the editor, and that next issue features a full-length Batman-Nemesis team-up. The writing wasn't necessarily on the wall, but in hindsight it's clear that a change was coming. 

  

Nemesis Fact File:  

• This month's installment is only six pages. 
• The main team-up in this issue is between Batman and Superboy. "You Can Take the Boy Out of Smallville..." by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo. Mr. IQ throws Superman back in time, but in doing so he displaces Superboy, who is accidentally pushed forward to replace his older self. This is one of the best of the late-end Brave and the Bold team-ups.     

This story has not yet been reprinted. Therefore, I gladly reproduce the six-page story here in its entirety, exactly as it appeared in its comic-book form.
Please do not allow it to fall into the hand of the Council!

NEMESIS 

created by Cary Burkett and Dan Spiegle