Ginger Jimmy. Intrepid Daily Planet photographer and wannabe reporter. Superman’s pal. Back in the Silver Age, Jimmy was the perfect fodder for wacky adventures and farce filled fests no matter if he transformed into a werewolf, Elasti-Lad, or dolled himself up as a woman. Now we all know just because Jimmy looked good in a dress and heels and all the slash that he was 100% straight. That time Superman got Jimmy drunk on a couple Kryptonian six packs doesn’t mean a thing. When he wasn’t chasing after Lucy Lane and trying to find ways to impress her, he had women like the giant Allura, the protoplasmic Dialla from Platonia masquerading as a human, Duo Damsel, Light Lass, and Saturn Girl in the future (at least he thought so) and the magical imp Miss Gzptlsnz trying to corner him into some 5th dimensional canoodling. And then there’s the time that Bruna, simian goddess of an unnamed African group living in the jungle, fell in love the redheaded boy from next door, thanks to writer Leo Dorfman and Pete Constanza.

Cover art by Curt Swan

Yes, marriage is indeed a sacred institution!

A small stack of comics mostly from the Silver Age that I picked up here and there throughout last year sits on the floor next to my bed. Many of them are worn reader copies, not too precious to take out of their bags to enjoy. Among them is a copy of Showcase #76 which debuted Bat Lash in the summer of 1968. A full year of superhero comics by then, my ten year old self just wasn’t interested in a western comic. A few years later things would’ve been different. Besides, there was no way a comic could have the same appeal as the often shirtless Robert Conrad (minus the bondage themes) in Wild Wild West had for me.

That's Nick Cardy art!

Forty two years later, I have to say that may have been wrong. Reading Bat Lash last night before turing in was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

“Will he save the West or ruin it?” was the question posed in DC house ads for Bat Lash. He was an atypical Western character, from his colorful vest, flower adorned hatband, a horse named Daisy to his gastronomic tastes for fine food and wine, and an aversion to violence. If not for Lash’s interest in women he could possibly be taken as a forerunner to the gay version of Rawhide Kid. The connotations of these affectations weren’t lost on writer Sergio Aragones which as you can see he addressed  in these panels with Bat encountering some of the local men from the town of Welcome, a place that proves to be just the opposite.

Despite the aversion to violence, Bat makes quick work of the mocking men, but only after removing the flower from his hat and doffing his hat to a woman to politely excuse him from their conversation. Surprisingly, after the fight ends Lash’s thoughts return to his gourmet pheasant dinner (and the woman he wants to share it with)!

A couple points seem remarkable to me. First, the portrayal of a heroic male lead with non-traditional masculine traits in the stereotypical masculine genre of Westerns and a comic at a time when content was held to strict Comics Code guidelines about sex and showing “deviant” elements specifically. And this happened 35 years before a gay Rawhide Kid caused such a media sensation. Sure, Bat isn’t a gun slinging sodomite as these good ol’ boys believe but neither is he John Wayne. So even though the words and mannerisms of the big blond guy are derogatory, it’s pretty clear by Aragones’ story that Lash doesn’t tolerate crap and he doesn’t see anything wrong with his behavior or appearance. That seems to be a positive message in a comic over 40 years ago, one that might have come in handy for a 10 year old.

Roy Harper’s has had some hard knocks in life for a four color comics character. Recently targeted by Prometheus, to prove both his bad assery and that his penis isn’t tiny, Harper’s right arm was literally mangled and amuputated and daughter Lian was killed by writer James Robinson as an excuse for transformative catalyst through great personal tragedy (or as proof that he can write poorly). The phrase “epic fail” comes to mind, but is that term so 2008 or what?

Decades before this in the real world, Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams made Roy into a heroin junkie, as I recall, out of jealousy of and lack of attention from pseudo daddy Oliver Queen who was heavily involved in a socially relevant On The Road a la Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassidy tour of America in the Green Lantern/ Green Arrow comic of the 70s. Thankfully, kind hearted Dinah came to his rescue during the bromantic adventures. And somewhere along the way wasn’t Roy ignored or rebuffed by Donna in Teen Titans?

Then there’s the time Roy was injured in an adventure with Green Arrow in a story from World’s Finest #112 (9/1960) titled The Spy in the Arrow Cave. See back then a lot of Batman had, Green Arrow copied: a secret cave hideout, a sleek for the times bright yellow Arrowcar, a quiver full of trick arrows instead of a utility belt, and of course the requisite kid sidekick. Though none come to mind, Green Arrow probably had his share of gaudy costumed villains, too. Such is not the case with the bad guy of this 6 pager, the escaped embezzler Flint Morgan wearing prison grays, accidentally stumbles across the entrance to the Arrow Cave and decides the secret lair makes a perfect place to escape the law. Green Arrow thinks there’s no ready solution and so relents. And you know that situation would have a completely different ending today.

Morgan spies a large map of Star City that’s marked with a patrol schedule on it. The convict doesn’t want to hurt Green Arrow but sees the map as an opportunity to make some cold cash as a retirement fund by selling it  cigar chomping, gang leader Mike Bancroft, who eagerly pays $10,000 for the map and puts it into quick use by staging a low level burglarly to distract the archers from a huge jewelry store heist. An arrow signal (see, another Batman rip off) alerts the duo to more trouble and their police radio gives the details. They speed off in the crime scene’s direction, only to be stopped by a drawbridge in use. But wait! The “Battling Bowmen” aren’t giving up! One button push propels them from the front seat across
the raised bridge section, and an off balanced Speedy breaks his leg! Noble, young Speedy urges his mentor to ignore him and go after the crooks, but even nobler Oliver holds the boy in his arms, determined to get to a hospital. The story wraps up
in another 9 panels in the typical nonsensical fashion DC Silver Age stories often did. Morgan literally is faced with the consequence of his actions, and throws himself in front of gunfire from Bancroft to save the heroes and make up for his own life of horrid crime by sacrificing his life.

Plus, Green Arrow really seems to like holding Speedy in his arms. Some readers may be tired and frustrated with the grim and grit of many of today’s comics, but there was also some real crap, sometimes charming crap, but still crap back in the Silver Age.