5.2 OR SO ABOUT 52 #23 WITH MICHAEL SIGLAIN

**MattBrady** · 10-13-2006, 04:33 PM

Another week has come and gone, and we’re left with a few head scratches about this week’s issue of 52. Sure, sure, we saw the Black Adam Family grow by one, where all the scientists are going, and a takedown of an Intergang cel in Yemen…but what about the details?

We caught up with 52 Editor Michael Siglain for some tips and hints about the stuff you may have missed.

Newsarama: Let’s start with the island - so this is where Magnus was taken to, Oolong Island? Has this ever been seen before?

Michael Siglain: Yep, the mystery of the missing scientists has been revealed, and while it might be new to some readers, Oolong Island dates back to Wonder Woman #157-#158, in which Steve Trevor was shot down over the island and held prisoner. In other words, if you're going to kidnap anyone in the DCU and strand them on a remote island, Oolong is the place to bring them. For those of you with an extensive DCU back issue collection, or for those of you who are savvy in the ways of the web, ya might want to check out those back issues for some possible future 52ers.

NRAMA: Who the heck is that with the Cricketron? Got a field guide as to where we might be able to find these crazies in the DCU?

MS: The guy with the Cricketron is Baron Bug. The Baron has traded in his insect army for giant robotic bugs, but if you want to see the Baron and his “air force of monster mosquitoes” check out House of Mystery #163, from 1966. And yes, we do have a 52 field guide to the maniacs of the DCU: his name is Grant Morrison. (Like you didn't see that one coming?)

NRAMA: Very true. So - the scientist's lab - if they're creating the future, why does it kinda look like the past, or at least, what the future was supposed to look like from the vantage point of the past?

MS: The look of Oolong Island and the creations of the mad scientists that reside there are intentional. The island is not supposed to look overly futuristic, despite what Professor Morrow says or believes. It's supposed to have an almost dated, "Tracy Island" Thunderbirds vibe. This is the element that these scientists are comfortable in, and also the time period in which they thrived. Plus, it's always easier to show the future through the eyes of the past.

NRAMA: Fair enough – moving on to the scene with Whisper and the Intergang crew - they've got were-creatures in there - is there a relation between those creatures and the ones that took Magnus, and seem to be working for the owner of Oolong Island?

MS: Um...no comment.

NRAMA: Ho-kay – but how about the book Whisper is reading from - that's the Bible of Crime that has been mentioned in previous discussions, correct?

MS: Right – it’s the Book of Crime, otherwise known as the Crime Bible. It will play an important role in upcoming issues, and in the rest of the DCU. Only a handful of copies remain intact, and most of them are just poor imitations. But this is the real deal, and it dates back to mankind's very first murder. Again, interpret as you will.

NRAMA: Whisper is reading from “"The Epic of Moriartiy." Would that be, to pull a real world analogy - something like the Bhagavad Gita, but recasting Moriarity as the hero of the story and "the detective" as the enemy?

MS: That's one transcendental way of looking at it...though I’m not sure the people who study the Crime Bible are as self aware as all that. Another way is to see the book itself as the work of evangelists who sought to spread evil by prophesying about all manner of violent crime, kinda like a Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion. Or something like that...

NRAMA: Was that a hint?

MS: Was what a hint?

NRAMA: Oh, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship…

Moving on, and just to be clear - Osiris - he joins up with the Teen Titans for a brief while during the year of 52, right?

MS: Well, he was pictured in Teen Titans #38. Is that vague enough for you?

NRAMA: You’ve learned this game well…okay – over to you for some teases for next week’s issue…

MS: Sure thing. Be on the lookout for a massacre in Metropolis, the return of The Great Ten, and, oh yeah, Pirates! See you next week!

Down below: on the left would be Week 24, page 10, and on the right – that’s Week 25…awwwwwww.

Mark Katzoff · 10-13-2006, 04:41 PM

Oolong Island? So who's idea is it to bring Egg Fu into this? (The scary part is I remembered that off the top of my head.)

TS24 · 10-13-2006, 04:42 PM

52 just keeps getting better and better

Alexlucard · 10-13-2006, 04:45 PM

More Ambush Bug please.

Lots more.

EvilErnie13 · 10-13-2006, 04:46 PM

Ambush Bug in da house!

Plus, nice usage of the helmet of Fate...

munkeypunk · 10-13-2006, 04:46 PM

Egg Fu is coming! Those dirty liars...April Fool my butt...heh

SpyGuy · 10-13-2006, 04:47 PM

Ambush Bug, Nightwing by George Perez and cute kids in Halloween costumes of characters you'd never see here on good ol' Earth-Prime. Can't wait for this issue.

Beefcliff · 10-13-2006, 04:48 PM

MS: "....But this is the real deal, and it dates back to mankind's very first murder. Again, interpret as you will."

Vandal Savage?

sebzero11 · 10-13-2006, 04:49 PM

ah...a potential connection between the Intergang/Question-Montoya/Black Adam-Isis plot and the Missing Mads/Doc Magnus plot.
Hmmmmm...

I LOVE the Halloween cover for week 25!
DC, you guys BETTER do something with those covers when you collect 52!

Conor E · 10-13-2006, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefcliff

MS: "....But this is the real deal, and it dates back to mankind's very first murder. Again, interpret as you will."

Vandal Savage?

Since it's the Crime Bible, I'd assume it's a reference to Cain and Abel.

Ace · 10-13-2006, 04:55 PM

I so know a certain 5 year old who's going as the Question for halloween next year (Flash this year, Batman last)

pfunk70 · 10-13-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion. Or something like that...

NRAMA: Was that a hint?

MS: Was what a hint?

Looks to be a SECRET to me. Had to move a few letters around to get to it though...

sebzero11 · 10-13-2006, 04:57 PM

Hey, Siglain,
I have a question. I know you just got here but.....what about the cover to week 25 made it get the mysterious no-pic DC-logo treatment in the solicits and on the DC web page? I know "everything is a clue" but c'mon, what could that pic give away? Really?

I'm just curious.

Garth Rockett · 10-13-2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefcliff

MS: "....But this is the real deal, and it dates back to mankind's very first murder. Again, interpret as you will."

Vandal Savage?

I was thinking Cain, as in Cain and Abel. They are characters in the DCU...

sebzero11 · 10-13-2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conor E

Since it's the Crime Bible, I'd assume it's a reference to Cain and Abel.

And Cain and Abel also "hosted' House of Mystery, where at least one of these mad scientists debuted.

KyleCowstar · 10-13-2006, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefcliff

MS: "....But this is the real deal, and it dates back to mankind's very first murder. Again, interpret as you will."

Vandal Savage?

better. Cain and frickin Abel of the House books and Sandman.... :drool: ...

And about the teases...THAT is a JLA I'd want to frickin read about, and issue 25's cover is a beauty.

d0dg3r · 10-13-2006, 05:02 PM

And I was sooooooooo sure that Oolong Island had something to do with the Black Dragon Society. I guess they still might have something to do with this, but right now it looks like I was overanalyzing.

Still, if we get some Egg Fu, written by this bunch...

EyesBL7 · 10-13-2006, 05:10 PM

I was a reformed Marvel Zombie who hated all things DC until ID Crisis. I got sucked into the Countdown Hype and almost wet my pants when IC #1 hit. When IC #7 arrived, I was a little disappointed but was still gung ho for *52 and and OYL. Now, roughly 6 months later I read but one OYL title (Catwoman) and Ive dropped *52. OYL was ended up being no where near as ambitious as it originally sounded. And while I found *52 interesting for the first 10 or so issues, I started to get lost. Oolong Island? Cricketron? House of Mystery from 1963? Its WAAAAAAAAY over my head as a DC neophyte. I cant enjoy the subtle nuances of the book the way a DC maniac can. And frankly I dont care what happens to Ralph Dibney and his magic helmet. This book is a hardcore DC fans wet dream, but for the casual or unintiated DC reader its nothing more than a headache.

Black_Sentry · 10-13-2006, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfunk70

Looks to be a SECRET to me. Had to move a few letters around to get to it though...

it's spectre from the old james bond movies

munkeypunk · 10-13-2006, 05:14 PM

NRAMA: Fair enough – moving on to the scene with Whisper and the Intergang crew - they've got were-creatures in there - is there a relation between those creatures and the ones that took Magnus, and seem to be working for the owner of Oolong Island?

MS: Um...no comment.

No these Animal people, wearing blue pants no less, are not the same as the 'Mad-nappers', they are the Animal people from Kamandi's world in the future.
Also the red monsters were wearing slave like clothes, much like the children.

Druesome · 10-13-2006, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfunk70

Looks to be a SECRET to me. Had to move a few letters around to get to it though...

Though, if you don't reorganize the words, you can get SPECTRE out of it:

SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.

Druesome · 10-13-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black_Sentry

it's spectre from the old james bond movies

Man, you guys reply fast around here.

Andrew.T · 10-13-2006, 05:17 PM

I am SOO on that like a fly on $#!%.

Bring it on!!!!!

Stressfactor · 10-13-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfunk70

Looks to be a SECRET to me. Had to move a few letters around to get to it though...

Or maybe its supposed to be SPECTRE? Weren't those the guys that had a few run-ins with James Bond?

At any rate... from the teaser page... Bulleteer... headlights... heh.

The Big Cat · 10-13-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfunk70

Looks to be a SECRET to me. Had to move a few letters around to get to it though...

Wasn't SPECTRE, the ultra-secret organization The Martian Manhunter used to go against?