"The Best Radioactive Man Event Ever!" (part 2)

Bart Simpson Comics is the second chapter of the triple-book crossover from Bongo. Krusty has taken over the Radioactive Man property. The sales are plummeting from the gimmicky changes inflicted on the character. In the want to find something new, Krusty colluded with the amoral executive Lindsey Nagle and created buzz by leaking the idea of change to the media.

The cunning, sharp send-up of Big Two comic book shenanigans coasts on the momentum of the first chapter in which Lash brilliantly outlined pastiches of all the changes that Marvel and DC wrought on the characters. This issue takes a more personal perspective and examines the fondness Bart, Milhouse, and Martin have for these characters. Believe me, chums, I can sympathize. Particularly with regard to the Justice League satire. The love for the characters catalyzes Bart's actions, the interactions and the advancement of the story. It's a flawless mesh between Simpsons continuity and real world spoof.

The environment allows for encounters with bullies that go awry, an unexpected Dick Cavett homage and a precise understanding of The Simpsons protocols. Lash's knowledge of his subject becomes hilariously evident with the cameo of Nelson, the equal opportunity mocker. Rodriquez, Pepoy and Villanueva capture The Simpsons look while perfectly timing and presenting Lash's comedic situations as well as some examples of Radioactive Man's turbulent history that Lash didn't flay last issue.

Lash tailors all the usual Simpsons conventions to the comic book theme of the story. Homer for instance remembers the campy Radioactive Man television series. Bart is not impressed. With that scene, Lash shows that sometimes how we view a character can be very subjective. Indeed, the general public didn’t see Batman as a serious action hero until Michael Keaton in his long-eared Batman suit suspended a criminal over a rooftop and said, “I’m Batman.” That was the watershed moment for the character.

At the same time, the history of the character resists ineffective change. Lash shows how fans welcome some change. It's not just about fans railing against change in general. The author uses Radioactive Man to exemplify change that worked; namely the marriage of Superman and Lois Lane. Fans simply were not all that interested in the Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Clark Kent triangle. It didn't really affect his adventures from an action standpoint.

Lash summarizes my thoughts on change succinctly, and I’ll add that change must somehow make the character or the situation better. In addition, change does not have to be something that scorches the earth. In the '70s, when the Powers at DC decided to re-establish Batman as the Dark Knight Detective, they did not kill off Robin. They sent him to college. They didn't kill or cripple Bat-Girl to introduce a more modern Batman themed hero.

One could accuse Bongo of hypocrisy. Batton Lash is after all filleting the Big Two's tomfoolery, but he's doing it in a crossover. However, there are some stark differences. This is a crossover lasting only three issues. Compare the trilogy to DC's weekly dovetailing drudges and Marvel's inbreeding Dark Civil Reign of the Secret Brand New War. One also needs to consider that this is only the second Bongo crossover. That's right. After 155 issues of Simpsons Comics and 48 focusing on Bart, Bongo engages in its second crossover. Surely, the Powers That Be at Bongo deserve an Eisner for the restraint.

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