Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Horror Cr(yp)tic: 6 GREATEST HORROR COMICS

greetings, legion of the undead. The Cr(yp)tic here, and i've decided to take a break from movie reviews for now and go over what i believe to be the greatest comics of the Horror genre.

6. The Walking Dead
The pinnacle of Zombie comics, Robert Kirkman's magnum opus shows in a realistic way what would befall upon the world if a zombie outbreak occured. This series is more about the survivors than straight-up gore, and has unpredicatible twists and turns. One things for sure: don't get too attached to any character. They WILL die, just to let you know.

5. Hellboy/BPRDThis list would be incomplete without this one. Hellboy and it's spin-off series BPRD supplies the scares and thrills every month, and never lets up. And with two successful movies under it's belt, Hellboy is more popular than ever. BPRD is my favorite of the two, i enjoy the team dynamic.

4. Swamp ThingTaking comics into a literary level, Alan Moore's first comic was a sign of good things to come. Not neccisarily the scariest comic, but there's enough terrifying atmosphere here (and deep, emotional thinking) to supply anyone's taste.

3. Hack/SlashWhat Tim Seeley has done with this series is completely unique: He took the slasher genre, stripped it to it's core, and evolved it to new heights of awesomeness. Cassie Hack and Vlad are slasher-hunters, saving us regular joes from the nightmarish teen camp killers. Great, fun, sexy, gorey, hilarious, highly entertaining series.

2. Army of DarknessJust like the original Evil Dead series it is based off of, this series has absolutely no limits. Whether our chainsaw-handed hero is fighting the Marvel Zombies, Herbert West: Reanimator, Darkman, Dracula, or even Xena: Warrior Princess (yes, you read that last one right) Ash always comes out on top, only to be thrown into an even crazier situation. Highly recommended.

1. Hellblazerwith over 250 issues to it's name, John Constantine's series is both the longest running horror series and the most successful. THe series is able to go to dark depths that no one sees coming, and John Constantine will always be there to strike up a cigarrette, give it the finger, and totally kick it's ass.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

The Horror Cr(yp)tic: THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN

welcome to another review of all things Horror- the old and the new, the great and the shitty, and the famous and obscure.

Today, we have a movie that faced it's share of distrubiting issues this year and saw a VERY limited release. That would be Clive Barker's The Midnight Meat Train.
The movie stars Bradley Cooper (otherwise known as Jim Carrey's best friend in "Yes Man"), Leslie Bibb (the hot reporter in the beginning of "Iron Man") and Vinnie Jones (Juggernaut in X-Men 3/ the crazy rugby player in Eurotrip).

Bradley Cooper plays a photographer who saves a woman from being raped, but the next day she goes missing. When he goes to investigate, he believes that a vicious killer (named Mahogany, played by Vinni Jones) who is killing those who take the midnight subway ride. The deeper he investigates, the more the mute Mahogany catches on that he is being watched and followed. So the photographer decides to catch the midnight train, and finds more at the last stop than he could possibly imagine.The biggest thing about this movie is the twist ending, which everyone is on the fence about it. People either think that it is sheer genius, or it completely ruins the movie. Personally, i think the ending is great, and definitely makes the movie unique.

Another thing about this movie, seeing as how it's a Clive Barker movie, it is very very very very very very bloody.But what do you expect? Vinnie Jones did a fantastic job, and is actually a really good slasher.This movie isn't perfect, however. It has a very small budget, and at times it shows. Also, a lot of the blood and gore is CGI, which is a big no-no in my book (i'm a big fan of practical special effects). Either way, it's still a great and enjoyable movie that really has it's own unique voice and vision.

overall grade: 7.5/10

Friday, December 26, 2008

The Horror Cr(yp)tic: PUMPKINHEAD

Hello, and welcome to the first of many reviews for horror both new and old, great and shitty, and famous and obscure. To start things off, i've decided to review a film i haven't seen in years that i just rewatched, the classic "Pumpkinhead" starring Lance Henrickson and the directorial debut of Monster-Maker expert, Stan Winston (who also designed the titular monster).
an extremely underappreciated movie of the "slasher" genre, Pumpkinhead is based off of a poem by Ed Justin of the same name:

Keep away from Pumpkinhead,



Unless you're tired of living,



His enemies are mostly dead,



He's mean and unforgiving,



Laugh at him and you're undone,



But in some dreadful fashion,



Vengeance, he considers fun,



And plans it with a passion,



Time will not erase or blot,



A plot that he has brewing,



It's when you think that he's forgot,



He'll conjure your undoing,



Bolted doors and windows barred,



Guard dogs prowling in the yard,



Won't protect you in your bed,



Nothing will,



from Pumpkinhead.


The movie itself stars Lance Henrickson as Ed Harley, a man who runs a roadside store in the middle of the deep, deep south with his son. A group of teenagers from the city arrive, and while racing dirtbikes (when Lance leaves) one of the kids, who was drunk, ran his bike into Ed Harley's son, killing him. Ed Harley swears to get revenge, so upon meeting with an old witch named Haggis, he conjurs the utterly terrifying demon known as Pumpkinhead, but not without a price.

Pumpkinhead and Ed Harley are connected, being that whatever one experiences the other feels as well. Ed swears to go back on creating the monster, so he sets out to save the kids who he doomed in the first place. The kids, on the other hand, want to go help Ed because of remorse for killing his son on accident, but the one who killed the kid was drunk and on parole and refuses to go to Jail. What follows is Pumpkinhead doing what he does best: killing the shit out of everything. This movie is fantastic in that it's one of the few slasher movies that fits in the genre but breaks every rule. There is actually very little gore, absolutely no sex or nudity, and it's one of the few horror movies of the genre with a central theme: what is the price you have to pay for something that was an honest mistake?

I really have to applaud Stan Winston studios. They knocked it out of the park designing Pumpkinhead. Yeah, a crazy teen killer with a knife and mask is pretty scary, but an 8-foot tall demon from hell is downright terrifying.
The greatest thing about this movie is that it takes itself so seriously. It isn't corny at all, and the people feel real instead of stereotypes which plague this genre often. Stan Winston did a phenemenol job directing, and i will miss him greatly for all he contributed to the world of film (Stan Winston passed away a few months ago).
overall grade: 8.5/10

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

"I Went On The Show, Because I Thought She'd Be Watching."

ladies and gentlemen, I have just seen the greatest film of 2008, and one of the best movies i've ever seen in my whole life:

"SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" from Danny Boyle, the director of "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later".

The movie is the story of Jamal Malik, a young "slumdog" (lowest, poorest class of citizen) from Mumbai, India. The movie is non-linear, starting in the present for brief periods of time and intercutting flashbacks from the past for long periods of time. Jamal is a contestant on India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and although he has never has had very little education he manages to have earned more money than anyone in the program's history. The police believe that he is cheating, and beat him mercilessly to find out if he was cheating.
But Jamal is not a cheater, and he has a unique way of getting the answers: he has a flawless photographic memory, and each question he is asked is a link to an important moment in his past. Because of this bit of information, a large portion of the film is in flashbacks to his life in India's slums, where he disovers a clue that is a question asked.
In his life, the only close family he has are his older brother Salim, who is antagonistic and rude and eventually gets involved in Mumbai's organized crime family; and a girl from the slums named Latika. Jamal is in love with Latika, and makes it his life goal to be with her as he believes that their destiny is to be together forever. When he discovers she moved, she moves there too. When he discovers she is trapped in child trafficking, he attempts to rescue her. When she rejects him, but at the same time he discovers she loves Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Jamal becomes a contestant just so he can somehow get to her, tracing back to what i said originally where he wins more money than anyone, but the stakes are raised when he doesn't know the answer to the last question.
This movie is downright BEAUTIFUL. When the characters suffer, you want to cry. When they achieve, you want to stand up in your seat and cheer for them. Another great thing about this movie is that the love story feels real. It doesn't at all feel like a steriotypical Hollywood romance, it feels like real and raw people who honestly love each other body and soul.
This movie absolutely, no doubt about it, gets my choice as the best movie of 2008 (it won the Critic's Choice award too). It beats "Iron Man". It beats "Burn After Reading". And yes, dare i say, it beats "The Dark Knight" as the best film of the year. It's a classic that will be in my top favorites until the day I die, and I can't wait to see it again, and again, and again.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Golden Age: A retrospective on the Justice Society of America

Back in my Starman 101's (read them if you haven't) i mentioned that Jack and Ted both belonged to a team known as the Justice Society of America. But just who is the JSA?








For a team that doesn't get a whole lot of recognition (but loads of respect in comic-circles) the JSA are hands down the most important team in comics history. Why?


They were the first ever superhero team, created in 1940. Still going strong today, and they are equal to The Doom Patrol as my favorite superhero teams (foreshadowing Doom Patrol 101? I think so). 3 Starmen (Ted, Jack, and Thom) and Stargirl (Courtney Whitmore) have been members of the JSA, so i will not go over them because i already did in Starman 101. That would be redundant.


The team was created in All-Star Comics #3 in 1940, a year after the creation of Superman.
Aside from being the first ever superhero team, this issue was the first time EVER that one superhero met another. All those guys on the front? They weren't the only members. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were all members too, but they were deemed "too popular" to appear regularly so they basically just showed up whenever they felt like it. Wonder Woman did appear quite often though.


Since then, there have been many incarnations of the team. One thing i love about this team that the line-up never really changes, it's just that new people wear the originals uniforms or carry on their legacy somehow.

Next, I'll go over the legacies of the team members.


Green Lantern: Alan Scott was the original GL, but unrelated to the rest that came after. Y'know the deal= magic ring lets him conjure up whatever his mind desires into Green energy. One thing worth noting is that while the other GL's rings aren't able to affect the color yellow or work when they have fear, Alan's ring doesn't work against wood. Also, what's up with his costume? He's called the Green Lantern, but he has red shoes and shirt, a purple cape and mask, and the only part of his costume that is Green is his pants? Way to pull a Blue Raja on us, there.
The Flash: Jay Garrick was the original Flash, and mentored the following Flashes that wore the more traditional red bodysuit. I was always a big fan of the second Flash (Barry Allen) and while Jay is cool, he's kind of uninteresting in my opinion and one of my least favorite JSA members. But i still like him.
The Spectre: I have always been a fan of this guy. He is the spirit of vengeance, forced to live in the body of deceased cop Jim Corrigan. What are his powers? well... seeing as how he's The Spirit of Vengeance, The Angel of Death, and God's Right Hand of Judgement, what makes the Spectre such a unique character is that he has THE POWERS OF GOD HIMSELF. That's right. He literally has the power to do anything. He does have limits though: He can only use his powers where God permits. So although he can kill you by looking at you, he can only do it if you are a murdering sinner or rapist or something. Great character (check out his series by John Ostrander, it's good stuff).
Hawkman: You'd be hard pressed to find many comic-book characters more badass than Hawkman. Carter Hall has an interesting life, and an extremely confusing comics history. Is he the cursed Egyptian pharoah, cursed to live forever in different bodies? Is he an alien police officer from the planet Thanagar? Is it both? Currently it's both (... i think...) but regardless, Carter rocks. He's got weightless weapons made of Nth Metal that cut pretty much rival Wolverine's adamantium. Also, the dude's got centuries worth of combat experience. Bottom line: you don't fuck with Hawkman.Dr. Fate: By far, the JSA member with the coolest costume. Kent Nelson's deal is he's got that helmet, the Helm of Nabu, that makes him an unstoppable Sorceror. His comics always were kind of creepy, and he had to fight some really dark characters. But who cares about his story, he's too busy looking fucking awesome.Hourman and Liberty Belle: One of the most interesting couples in comics, personally. Hourman, Rick Tyler, gets superhuman strength, speed, invulnerability, precognitive visions, and more when he takes a drug called Miraclo. The downside is that his powers only last for an hour. I have no idea why, but aside from Starman and Sandman he might be my favorite JSA member. His wife, Liberty Belle, is often described as "The All-American Powerhouse". Jesse Chambers has superhuman strength (weaker than Hourman), speed (way faster than Hourman), and she used to be able to fly but i've never seen her do it lately. For a time, she was the only female Flash when she had the name Jesse Quick. Both of them are awesome characters.Sandman: like i mentioned in the last paragraph, Starman and Hourman and this guy are my favorite JSA members. Sandman is cool because he's the most basic character: just a guy with a gas-mask and a gun full of knockout gas. His comics, Sandman Mystery Theater, is crazy good. He's unrelated to the Spider-Man villian and the character from Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman series, so Wesley Dodds here is usually pushed off to the side by those two. I still think he rules either wayThe Atom: The original Atom, Al Pratt, sucked. I'm sorry, but he did. A little guy in a blue mask with explosive punches? yeah, of the founding members he was the worst. His successor, however (the size-changing Atom, Ray Palmer) is one of my favorite superheroes. In the JSA, Al has had two successors, Damage (his son) and Atom-Smasher (his god-son).


Damage, Grant Emerson, is on the current JSA, and although i never liked him to start he's grown on me. He has Al Pratt's power of explosive energy release, so he can punch you then detonate your face. Speaking of messed-up faces, His face was butchered beyond repair by the Flash villiam Zoom, and since then hides his face behind Al's old blue mask.
Atom-Smasher, Albert Rothstein, has the power to grow to monstrously tall heights (as opposed to the other Atom, Ray Palmer, who shrinks to microscopic size).He has a replica of Al's mask that he wears. Of the two, i always liked Atom-Smasher more. Growing over 40 feet tall is kind of a rad power.Jakeem Thunder and Thunderbolt: Now here is an odd character. The original was Johnny Thunder, a kid with a genie who had limitless power only if ordered by Johnny. Soon after, Johnny and the genie merged, creating Thunderbolt, and was passed on to guard a young innercity kid named Jakeem Williams. They are definitely unique, but not anywhere near my favorite JSA members.
Black Canary: Without a doubt, my all-time favorite female superhero. Dinah Lance is just so hardcore, it's mindboggling. Hell, she beat Batman in a fist fight! She is a expert martial artist, and she has an ultrasonic scream like that kid in X-Men 2. She's also married to Green Arrow. I'm a HUGE fan of her. Doctor Mid-Nite: It's a common thing in comics to have a character's name start with "Mr." or "Dr.", don't ask me why because i can't give you an answer. What makes Doctor Mid-Nite different from the rest is that, ironically, he's an actual doctor who serves as the team's medic and surgeon. He is blind in the daylight, but can see superhumanly well in the dark (not unlike Riddick from the movie Pitch Black). He also carries around "Blackout Bombs" that only he can see through and he's got a pet owl. Neat guy.Power Girl: Kara Zor-L is the adult version of Supergirl, making her Superman's cousin from another reality (not going into specifics with that, it's complicated). She has all of Superman's powers, at his level of power. She is one of the most popular female superheroes, she's constantly cosplayed at Comi-Cons, she was name-dropped in an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and she's most famous for having the biggest breasts in all of superhero comics (sometimes drawn to the point of being ridiculous). I know a lot of people like her, and while I do like her, i'm not a hardcore fan. She's too "girl body-builder" for me.
Mr. Terrific: Michael Holt is carrying the legacy of Mr. Terrific, but amping it up considerably. He has no powers, but he is the 3rd smartest man in the world and an olympic level athlete. If he had a power, it's basically that he's just really good at everything. He has these floating Spheres around him to perform a number of functions, the most famous being that Michael is invisible to all electronics, which is actually kind of cool. One thing i never understood about him is that he's noteworthy for being the biggest Atheist in comics, yet his teammate The Spectre has God's power. I never got that, he's around it every day! What a stubborn dousche.

Wildcat: A former heavyweight boxer, Ted Grant is a fucking badass. His power is that, like a cat, he has nine lives (though i believe he's used a few). That, and he has the uncanny power to beat the shit out of you. His job is to train all of the other recruits in fist-fighting. He's a lovable tough guy, the JSA's answer to The Thing from the Fantastic Four.
Obsidian: Alan Scott's son Todd Rice. Todd has the power to turn himself into a shadow-form, and to control darkness. Pretty cool power (though he's got nothing on The Shade). He serves as the security guard for the JSA headquarters, so he doesn't really show up a whole lot unless the fight leads directly to HQ. What makes him famous is that he was one of the first ever openly gay superheroes. S.T.R.I.P.E.: Stargirl's step-dad Pat Dugan, he's famous for being the only adult sidekick to a teenage hero. He's got a swee-as-hell armored suit, like Iron Man turned up to 11. Really cool character, that packs serious firepower.
Now, I left out a few more (Mr. America, Amazing-Man, Judomaster, Citizen Steel) but i think that was enough for today.
check back in soon, as i'll start my-
DOOM PATROL 101.
read it when i have it up, i'm going to go all out with that one.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Weather Outside is Frightful...

Oh, Christmas.


By far, the biggest holiday of the year.

Mixed emotions are all i have over this important holiday.

When the doors to the nearest store are opened that terrible, terrible day known as Black Friday, swarming and screeching masses grasp lustfully for the new "IT" gadget, or the new "IN" toy. In a time, when money is important above most everything else, why subject ourselves to this?

Seriously, Why? Is it because we've become used to just seeing Christmas as an excuse to get something that's fucking awesome but might break or be replaced with a newer model in months?

CHRISTMAS SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT THE GODDAMN GIFTS.

Why in the hell is handing someone something you bought them and saying a nonchalant "Merry Christmas" adequate? Is that all that this holiday season has brought us?

I don't believe that. I believe that Christmas should be about celebrating the harmony between friends and family.

Another thing i need to point out: I don't like receiving gifts (as if you couldn't tell already). But i do like buying them for people. I don't WANT anything. I believe that if i want something, I'll buy it with my own money. However, I do love getting things for people.

on a more happy side, I do love this time of year, and the general sense of love and happiness that surrounds these weeks like a frosty aura. That, and I make it my goal to watch what are in my opinion the three greatest Christmas movies ever.
Christmas Story
Nationan Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The Original version of Miracle on 34th Street.
... and just for the hell of it, Santa Claus Conquers The Martians

I LOVE CHRISTMAS. But it ain't perfect.

so all in all...
Merry Christmas. Every-One.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

What is Horror-Punk?



I've always loved the darker side of life. Ever since i was a kid, Halloween was the best time of the year because ghouls, ghosts, and other nightmarish things haunted every corner. I've always loved Horror movies and lots of other creepy shit. So a few years ago, i discovered Horror-Punk, and let me tell you right now that there is not one genre of music I love and adore more than this
Horror music traces it's origins deep into the start of rock 'n roll, from Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper to tales of Blues Musicians selling their souls to the devil. But in the late 70's/early 80's a group from Lodi, New Jersey decided to put Horror as their focus, giving birth to the first ever Horror-Punk band, The Misfits.

They crafted a sound unlike any other punk band at the time. When most bands, like The Dead Kennedys and Ramones, were making songs on a more political/angry agenda, The Misfits had songs like "Astro-Zombies", "Death Comes Ripping", "Halloween", and "Teenagers From Mars". Their songs were not meant to be taken seriously, and just meant to have fun escaping to a world beyond the grave. Their original singer, Glenn Danzig, had a unique voice which became one of the trademarks of the genre sometimes referred to as an "Evil Elvis" singing style. The band broke up in the 80's, but reformed to mixed acclaim in the 90's with new singer Michale Graves of the band Gotham Road. A lot of people hate this period of the Misfits chronology, but I like both and actually the Graves-era CD "Cuts From The Crypt" is my favorite CD the Misfits have ever done. So i guess i'm in the minority, having the Graves-era as my favorite.



Because of the Misfits, Horror-Punk has blown up and become a giant underground musical movement. All bands have the same distinct characteristics: a doo-woppy singing style accompanied by ripping guitars, "WHOA"s thrown in constantly as hooks, lyrics of monsters and demons that tell a complete story sometimes even with a bit of humor thrown in for good measure. Most of all, to appreciate Horror-Punk you have to be in love with shlocky horror movies (be it Atomic-Age goofiness of the '50's, or the Splattery '80's Slasher/Zombie scene). All in all, Horror Punk is about having fun.

Another great Horror-Punk band is Blitzkid. With a mixture of the Misfits' style and AFI's energy, they have crafted a unique that many think will give them the honor of being the greatest Horror-Punk band of the 21st Century. I love this band so goddamn much, i have every song they crafted and know most of them by heart.
They are playing a show in March that a friend of mine's band is opening for, so hopefully i'll be able to meet them or something. All in all, Blitkid rules. end of story.


Calabrese is worth a listening, without a doubt.
One of the most powerful bands musically, with EASILY the coolest merchandise of any band ever, Calabrese fucking rocks. They sound like an old horror movie poster come to life. Check 'em out, and give them your souls!


And finally, One of the more obscure Horror-Punk but worth mention is a band known as Mister Monster.

They call their style "Boo-Wop" and it fits. MM is a bit more on the bluesy/romantic side, their songs are generally slower, but still retaining the horror motif. The only downside to them is that the singer's voice gets a little getting used to. But after that, you'll appreciate their discography a lot more. it's worth it.

The 69 Eyes are from Finland, and one of my favorites.

Mixing Horror-Punk with Metal and Old-school Goth, The 69 Eyes have a unique style.
Give 'em a listen, goddamn it!



Other Horror Punk bands worth checking out are:
Shadow Reichenstein
The Crimson Ghosts
The Rosedales
The Other
Zombeast
Nim Vind
Die Monster Die
Rezurex



LONG LIVE THE HORROR

Monday, December 8, 2008

Starman 101 Finale: Conversations With Dead People (and Farewells)


And here we come to the end of the Starman 101, and i have decided to tell you my favorite part of the series for the end.

In the course of the series, there are several types of issues. There are standard issues, annuals, spin offs for Nash and The Shade, Times Past issues (chronicling the adventures of another Starman) and the absolute highlight of the series, and the reason it became my #1 obsession:

the Talking With David issues.

thanks to a strange curse over Opal City, Jack is visited once a year by the ghost of his dead brother David in one-shot issues where they discuss there lives, and their relationship. These issues are great for the coloring (David being the only thing in color) and for the characterization, which is some of the deepest i've ever read.
This happens every year for the duration of the series, in different ways. One time, David confronts Jack and they go on a strange pirate adventure when the ghost of the villian The Black Pirate appears in the afterlife.
By far, though, the most heartbreaking scene in the whole series to me is when Jack confronts his mother who passed away from cancer when he was a child. It makes me weep everytime i read it, absolutely beautiful writing.
Another great Talking With David, probably the best, is when Jack confronts the deceased members of his father's Justice Society. He has a great discussion with second-stringer Mr. Terrific:
and another with The Red Bee, a teen sidekick who always felt as though he was ignored and more famous guys like Hourman and Dr. Fate got more credit.
At the end of the series, in the final Talking With David, Jack meets with his father who dies fighting his enemy The Mist one last time.
and he isn't alone. Another person shows up: Kyle, The Mist's son, whom Jack killed in the beginning of the series.
And with that, Jack decides to retire when his girlfriend Sadie wants them to start a family down in San Francisco with their two kids. He says his goodbyes to The Shade, passes his uniform and Cosmic Rod to Courtney Whitmore, and drives off to start a family.
This is what makes Starman my #1 favorite thing ever. Most comics (in fact, almost all of them) never get an ending, but thankfully Jack's story has a beginning, middle, and end.

thanks for reading. Now go out and by the series. You won't regret it!!!


(credit to Scott Tipton from Comics 101 for the idea, and some of the scans)

Starman 101 Part 4: The Bad and The Wrong

In terms of fiction, the more powerful the villian equals the more noble hero. Starman has one of the most impressive rogues galleries in all of comicdom, right up there with Batman, Spider-Man, and The Flash.

Ted Knight's nemesis, and the nemesis of the legacy itself, is The Mist.
A disembodies head with hands that floats around like smoke, The Mist is an interesting villian for sure, at least visually. In the Starman series, though, He has become senile, and has lapses of memory.
And when Ted finally confronts his archenemy for their final battle at the end of the series, The Mist breaks down and cries, knowing that he'll never have another chance to defeat his lifelong foe.
The Mist has two kids, Kyle (his son) and Nash (his daughter). Kyle is the man responsible for the murder of Jack's brother David, and what does Jack do when he finds Kyle? Well they have a battle in the sky and...
Jack totally fucks him up!

Upon hearing about her brothers death, Nash feels remorse because she let Jack go, and then he played a part in her brother's death. Mirroring Jack's choice, Nash gives herself her father's powers and becomes a criminal mastermind, and also Jack's archenemy for the remainder of the series. Nash is a psycho-bitch, for sure. Not only does she kill without remorse, but she even drugs Jack, rapes him, have his kid, and tells Jack that she is going to raise the child to hate Jack and eventually murder him. Harsh.
Ragdoll: Another great villian from the series, Ragdoll was an enemy of Ted's from a long time ago. With triple jointed limbs, he evaded attacks with unnatural precision. When his limbs get too strained and painful, Ragdoll discovers he is a phenomenal public speaker and leads Opal's crime society as their leader. He then becomes nicknamed the "Charles Manson of The Opal" for his ability to orchestrate the most heinous of crimes in his name.
Dr. Phosphorus: Now this guy looks like something that would be on the cover for a Manowar CD. With his skin constantly burning, the evil Doctor Phosphorus is a total dick. I think it's ironic that he's constantly scorching hot and James Robinson writes him as a chain-smoker. I thought it was clever.
Copperhead: A snake-like villian, Copperhead has never been much of a threat. He fights Jack once in the middle of the series, but i've always liked him so i decided he deserved a spot on the list. He's pretty well known for being on the cartoon Justice League.
The Royal Flush Gang: a group of criminals with a card motif, i always thought they were kind of cool for how lame they were. Jack fights them once, but the fight is really short and Jack basically beats the complete shit out of them. They also appeared on the Justice League cartoon.
Prairie Witch: A villian that appears way late in the series, she uses magic and guns to commit her crimes. There really isn't much to her, and i don't think she was in anything after Starman ended.
Johnny Sorrow: A villian of Ted's from his prime, Johnny Sorrow looks so badass. That floating mask over the red tux just rocks. When he removes his mask, everyone around him dies. Intense, for sure.
And that's it for the villians that populate Opal City. I have just one more Starman 101 lined up, and I saved the best for last...