Description

The Weird                                               Comics Lot
Featuring Cover & Interior art by Industry Legend… Berni Wrightson! Awesome!!
Writer: Jim Starlin
Artist: Berni Wrightson
Inker: Dan Green
Colorist: Michele Wrightson
Letterer: Todd Klein
Editor: Karen Berger
All Covers by: Bernie Wrightson

The Weird is an alien hero composed entirely of pure energy. He belongs to a race known as the Zarolatts who were oppressed for a very long time by the Macrolatts. Unlike the rest of his docile race he decided to fight back by conacting superheroes on Earth. His physical form was created by possessing the corpse of a man named Walter Langley, giving him both Langley’s appearance and memories. The Weird was created by Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson, first appearing in The Weird #1. (1988)

Weird things were going on in the apartment of Jason Morgan. Morgan was attempting to form a bridge, of sorts, into another world. Morgan’s efforts go wrong, however, and an explosion of light and sound announces the arrival in this world of a strange energy creature. Superman, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, and others try to trap this creature in order to study it, but the creature proves too powerful to contain. Before their helpless eyes, the creature splits into parts and flies off. One of the parts entered a computer center where it tapped into information banks. Another part flew into a funeral parlor, where it seemingly stole a body. Then, in the strangest part of all, the pieces meet again, and begin to shape themselves into something new—a super-powered humanoid. And even Earth’s mightiest heroes are powerless to stop it from completing its mysterious mission.

Story/Spoilers
In issue #1, ”Conception”, Jason Morgan is in his Metropolis apartment bathroom performing a ritual that will create a “bridge” linking his reality to a parallel dimension. Once the bridge is created, a Zarolatt (an energy based sentient being) emerges destroying the link behind him. The Zarolatt flies into the sky where it emits a large flash and noise similar to an explosion and attracting the attention of Superman. He finds a stationary, hovering wave of energy. After a preliminary examination, Superman attempts to touch it and is blasted about three miles away. By the time he returns Captain Atom and the Martian Manhunter of the newly formed Justice League are present. An hour later several additional members of the Justice League have arrived as well as Doctor Yamada and General Westerly all of whom are analyzing the energy. Guy Gardner begins to probe the energy but finds resistance. He tries harder and the energy responds with a backlash knocking Guy out and blacking out the entire city as well as the Blue Beetle’s Bug which is caught by Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter. The energy being splits into two and takes off in opposite directions. Superman and Martian Manhunter each follow one of them. The one Superman follows goes into Genex Genetics Laboratory, passes through some experimental chemicals then enters the labs computers where it gathers information. Soon, it takes off again with Superman in pursuit. The other one goes to Sawyer’s Funeral Home where the energy collides with the recently deceased body of Walter Langley. There is a flash of light and both the energy and Langley’s body are missing. The event is witnessed by Walter’s wife and son. When Superman and Martian Manhunter return to the group they find the energy hovering once again. After telling the group what they witnessed, Batman theorizes that it’s going to build itself a body. The energy starts expanding which causes a portion of a nearby building to fall. Before Guy Gardner can catch the piece, the energy vaporizes the debris. Superman suggests the energy was trying to save people but also suggests Guy encase the energy in a containment bubble which Guy does. Inside the bubble, the Zarolatt reconstructs Walter Langley’s body using 1) the knowledge it gained from its research, 2) the abilities it needs the body to have in order to accomplish its mission and 3) the nearby beings as additional reference. It reforms its body and passes out due to the strain. An hour later, the Justice League, Superman and Doctor Yamada continue to study the creature and learn that the being is still constructing itself. Superman further notes that the creature’s molecules are unstable and it could potentially explode with enough force to destroy the Earth. Blue Beetle names the creature “The Weird.” Superman spots a plane on fire and leaves to rescue it as the League decides the creature must be taken off planet. The Weird awakens and slowly adjusts to corporeal existence. He discovers that the close proximity of aliens and metahumans as it reconstructed its body has left it physically unable to pass as a normal being. Batman tells him they need to transport him off the planet but the Weird tells him he has business but refuses to elaborate. The Justice League attempt to take him off planet by force but the Weird resists. The League fights him but soon all members but Batman are knocked unconscious. The Weird flies to Jason Morgan’s apartment but finds the place empty. He decides to return later and flies to his old home where he greets Walter Langley’s son.

Next in issue #2, “Questions!”, While the Justice League recover from their unsuccessful battle with the Weird, Superman is interviewed by WMET television reporter Lance Armstrong. After a brief recap of events Superman leaves to find the Weird and Armstrong paraphrases Superman’s words to the detriment of the League angering Guy Gardner. General Westerly reiterates their orders not to say anything to the public about the Weird’s molecular instability – something Superman reluctantly agrees to. In the Metropolis suburb of Inglewood, Eva Langley and her friend, Sue, discuss the abduction of her recently deceased husband’s body. She notices her son, Billy, is not in the back yard. He is, in fact, flying with the Weird who takes him to a beach and explains Walter Langley’s feelings to Billy – something he has felt compelled to do since taking over Walter’s body. The Weird demonstrates his superpowers then shows Billy a vision of his home dimension and explains the relationship between the Macrolatts and Zarolatts which inhabit that dimension. He explains the Macrolatts’ intentions of conquering new dimensions including Earth’s. After two Macrolatts attempted to enter Earth’s dimension unprepared, and died as a result, the others realized the need to create a safe bridge. They managed to mentally communicate with Jason Morgan whom they taught to create the bridge using powers they somehow managed to bestow upon him. However, the Zarolatt who would become the Weird was able to learn about the Earth dimension by being in tune with the Macrolatts as they searched for and communicated with Jason. Also being inspired with the Earth concept of freedom and by the knowledge that Macrolatts can be killed, when Jason created the bridge, the Zarolatt managed to beat them through it causing the bridge’s destruction and setting in motion his plans to stop them. By this time the sun is beginning to set and the Weird takes Billy home where Billy is confronted by his mother. Billy tells her nothing of where he’s been. Jason returns home after an evening out during which he found and killed a woman named Matilda Gatsby using his newfound powers. He prepares to attempt the creation of another bridge. As the Weird flies back to Jason Morgan’s apartment, he encounters Superman and a fight/chase begins that rages around the city. Ultimately Superman loses the Weird just as reporter Lance Armstrong finds him and performs a brief interview. After Superman flies off, the Weird emerges stating he was hiding directly under Superman’s feet. When asked by Armstrong why the heroes are chasing him, the Weird reveals his molecular instability and flies off. Armstrong reveals this during his broadcast declaring the Justice League and Superman to be part of a cover-up. The League watches the broadcast but Batman as spotted the Weird and summons the others. In Jason’s apartment, Jason begins creating another bridge to the alien dimension but the Weird distracts him causing the bridge to disintegrate.

Next in issue #3, ”Confrontation!”, While Billy Langley tells his dog, Ptang, about the Macrolatts and Zarolatts, the Weird confronts Jason Morgan. Sensing the approach of the Justice League, Jason seals the building off in a giant, regenerating cube of solid light which the heroes cannot penetrate. Jason manages to encapsulate the Weird who asks him why he would betray his own planet. Jason, realizing he has six hours to complete the bridge, humors the Weird by revealing his life story: Jason was named by his mother after the Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts. When Jason was four, his father hung himself over his failed business. His mother became an alcoholic eventually becoming abusive towards Jason. She eventually died when one of her “gentlemen friends” killed her with a razor. Jason was sent to an orphanage where he learned how to fight. By the age of fifteen he had gotten into “trouble with a girl” and he was kicked out of the orphanage. Jason drifted from job to job never taking interest in any of them and always being fired. He lived for a time on the streets surviving on handouts and garbage until he realized he’d be unable to attract women. So he decided to try again to work and went to the employment bureau which found him a job as a garbageman. He stayed with the job for five years constantly striking out with women. After a hurtful encounter with a passing female jogger, Jason snapped and attacked her. She pressed charges and Jason was sent to jail for six months during which time he decided his problem had been his attitude. Upon release he returned to the garbage man job while he waited for destiny to call. When it didn’t, he began drinking. Eventually he was contacted by the Macrolatts through his dreams. They promised him power and contacted him every night for a week instructing him on what to do. He decided to try and gained his powers practicing every night for weeks. The Macrolatts have promised him he’d become leader of the planet. Jason decides to begin creating the bridge again while the Weird manages to break free from his imprisonment. Before he can stop Jason, two Macrolatts emerge from the bridge and escape. The Weird’s escape does destroy the bridge preventing more Macrolatts from entering and the Weird kills Jason knowing he’ll never stop recreating the portals as long as he’s alive. With Jason dead, the light cube dissipates and the Weird is surrounded by the Justice League. He pleads with the League to help him stop the Macrolatts but realizes that, since he didn’t confide in them earlier, they do not trust him. Martian Manhunter, who had been invisible, is able to knock the Weird unconscious before he realizes he is under attack. Just then the Macrolatts return, possessing the bodies of Superman and Nuklon.

Finally in issue #4, “…Armageddon!”, Batman wakes up the Weird while the remainder of the Justice League fight the Macrolatt possessed Superman and Nuklon. The Weird explains the situation to Batman but seems unwilling to attack the Macrolatts. After the possessed heroes take down all the heroes except Batman, whose arm is broken, the Macrolatts confront the Weird. The Weird bows to their superiority but the Macrolatts claim the Zarolatt and the entire universe will die to feed their hunger. The Macrolatts set a nearby building on fire and absorb the energy while reporter Lance Armstrong records the events. The Weird pleads with the Macrolatts to stop citing dangers the Macrolatts are unaware of. He offers his knowledge, and powers, to the Macrolatts by agreeing to be absorbed by them as he would have been back in their home dimension. They agree but, as they are about to absorb him, the Weird uses his powers to pull the Macrolatts from the heroes (who fall to the ground). The Weird explains to the Macrolatts that he feigned subservience to get close enough to them to grab them and destroy them, which he does. The next morning, the Justice League and Superman are with the Weird at S.T.A.R. Labs. They have tried unsuccessfully to repair the Weird’s physical structure but all have failed. The Weird is destined to explode in two days. The heroes escort the Weird to an isolated area of Metropolis beach where the Weird works all night to build a stone ship for his son (as Walter used to build ships in bottles). The next morning, the heroes bring Billy Langley to see the monument (Walter’s wife, Eva, opted not to come). Superman and Guy Gardner escort the Weird into space where Gardner leads them to a section of space where the nearest inhabited world is a light-year away. Superman and Gardner fly to a safe distance and watch as the Weird explodes.

Comics lot contains: The Weird (1988) Issues #1-4.  DC Comics

Comics are bagged & boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

All First Printings
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: 1988
Format per comic: FC, 42 pages, Comic, 10.25″ x 6.5″
UPC: None Stated

Collectible Entertainment note: Comics 1,2,3,4 are in Fine + to Very Fine condition.  Very Nice Set!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Berni Wrightson collector and/or enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Recommended.

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