Codename: Action #4

[pulphero]

I continue to not know what to make of this series. It's well written enough; it's clearly an espionage story; the main characters seem to be Operative 1001, Operator #5, and Black Venus. I almost hesitate to call the other DE heroes here guest-stars. We saw more of them in the second half of this issue than in almost the entire series previous to this, and by next issue it's all over. (So, not exactly the "Masks II" I was maybe expecting.) Maybe I'm just not getting the concept of why Captain Action needs a "year one" backstory, when there's been no indication that this will be a prelude to an ongoing CA series. Maybe it's me, and this will all make sense in a couple of years with 20/20 hindsight. Not trying to be a downer here, just struggling to understand what the thinking behind this was, relative to Captain Action and Dynamite-at-large. Unless it's a piece of a much larger game plan for Captain Action at DE, I'm not sure there's much of a point to this. Even if it is, it seems like it would have made more sense to introduce a Captain Action series first, and then flash back to an origin story afterwards.

I'm also not clear on whether or not this is supposed to fit into the continuity of the CA stories published by Moonstone (that would be unusual for Dynamite, but seeing as how Ed Catto and Joe Ahearn had a hand in overseeing both companies' versions, not out of the question).

[Blinky McQuade]

I agree. This mini series seems to be limited by the number of issues in its pacing. With one issue left, how are all these characters going to come together? Maybe they should not have included so many other DE characters. No follow up with Captain Action? Pity. At least there was some cameos of Green Hornet and Spider. Black Venus seemed to shine best of all these characters even as a guest star.

[Ghornet2]

I think maybe they were testing the waters to see how a Captain Action/spy book would fair.

[Guest]

I think maybe they were testing the waters to see how a Captain Action/spy book would fair.

I agree. This seems to be much more of a spy thriller. I have to admit, I have been enjoying this title even with pulp heroes only making token appearances. Something tells me that the last issue will be half spy and half pulp. But I cant figure out how we are going to cross the bridge from Operative 1001 to Captain Action.

[Ghornet2]

Number 5

Nice wrap up. We got to see some CA stuff from the original figures. The jagged/lightening blade, the ray gun and the jet pack.

While I think the series started a little slow they definitely left me wanting more.

[pulphero]

While I think the series started a little slow they definitely left me wanting more.

"Your Demand is Dynamite's Command" (or something like that). As long as the follow-up involves Captain Action in the form of a cat. ???

[LetsRollKato]

My comic shop just refused to stock this book.

(This and LEGENDERRY)

Not sure WHY but there was zero demand other than me so I have to pick them up elsewhere (most likely online).

[Guest]

While I think the series started a little slow they definitely left me wanting more.

I thought this was a pure spy title, which I enjoyed. The pulp/PSP characters played such a minor role, they could have been left out.

The end seemed a little sudden. Big fight. Big explosion. Done. I wish there had been more. I felt the same way after Masks.

I would enjoy seeing a Captain Action title come out.

[pulphero]

I thought this was a pure spy title, which I enjoyed. The pulp/PSP characters played such a minor role, they could have been left out.

The end seemed a little sudden. Big fight. Big explosion. Done. I wish there had been more. I felt the same way after Masks.

I would enjoy seeing a Captain Action title come out.

Agreed that most of the pulp/PSP characters could have been left out. Only Operator #5 and Black Venus played a significant part in the story. This should have been a double-sized one-shot special, and labeled Captain Action: Prologue or something like that, so that readers were alerted to the fact that it serves only as a backstory/origin for CA. Hopefully that Captain Action title is on the way; otherwise this would seem kind of a pointless exercise. This doesn't seem to violate anything from the Moonstone comics continuity, as far as I can tell. I wouldn't mind seeing a miniseries where CA interacts with various Dynamite characters and takes on their identities, perhaps with each issue focusing on a particular guest-star, who would be unaware of the overall threat of the series... only CA would know that.