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2:2
LAM TALSA {GOOD MORNING}???
KEELA ROO {KEELA ROO}
QU {YOU}
GLIPSI {FLY}
SARN. {FAST}???
LAM TALSA {GOOD MORNING}???
ADAM STRANGE {ADAM STRANGE}
BAS {WE}????
HAKKESTRANGE {HAWK SOLDIERS}
ETHMET {ALWAYS}????
GLIPSI {FLY}
SARN. {FAST}???
TOMTEL {WAIT}
QU {YOU}
"Good morning, Keela Roo. You're sure flying fast."
"Good morning, Adam Strange. We hawk soldiers always fly fast, while you remain behind."
2:3
BA {I}
MURRN {ACTIVATE}???
ILILOCTA- {SPEECH}
UNULACON {TRANSLATOR}
"I'm activating the language translator."
The Rannians had a translator called a menticizer in Strange's first story.
At his Too Busy Thinking About My Comics blog (Dec.13, 2010), Colin Smith reviewed this issue and ranked as #9 out of "10 books he can find nothing bad about at all to speak of." It's as if Alan Moore had abstracted everything that's depraved and repellent about the culture of Nazism and then fused it with this imaginary off-world society |
5:2
ADAM? {ADAM?}
QU {YOU}
FAO {DO}
AEL? {OKAY?}
QU {YOU}
FAO {DO}
GLO {????}
MULMAP. {????.}
OL {IT}
FA {BE}
THO {NO}
DATTOCHAM {HIT}???
UL {AND}
APIC ZETA? {ZETA BEAM?}
THOM. {NO.}
BE
FAS {BE}
AEL. {OKAY.}
CLAAB {BUT}
BA {I}
SISTRIS {WORRY}
NEEM
APS {ABOUT}
HAKKESTRANGE.{HAWK SOLDIERS}.
"Adam? Are you doing okay? You didn't have to use the Zeta-Beam?"
"No. It'll be okay. But I'm concerned about those hawk soldiers."
5:3
TRA. {YES.}
OLS {IT}
SISTRIT {WORRY}
BU {MY}
EMSEC. {ALSO.}???
CLAAB {BUT}????
GLUSTEN {GREATLY}
THO. {NO.}
BAS {WE}???
DOL
FAO {DO}
AEL {OKAY}
AP {ABOUT}
BU {MY}
PHANAGLISP. {FLYER.)
TRA. {YES}
BA {I}
SLOVIER
OL {IT}
GLO
DREMME. {????}
"Yes. I'm worried too. But not too much. I'm concerned about my flyer."
"I won't let it happen again."
5:4
THO {NO}
GRARAKLAK,
THO {NO}
VORYEGGEN {CACTUS-CREATURES}
SERT {ONLY}
BA {ME}
UL {AND}
QU. {YOU.}
"No battles, no cactus-creatures. Only me and you."
5:5 TRA. {YES.}
SERT {ONLY}
BA {ME}
UL {AND}
QU. {YOU.}
"Yes. Only me and you."
5:6
AI! {HEY!}???
OL {he or IT}
FA {BE}
GLISPACH (JETPACK)
BU! {MY!}
DUS {WHAT}???
FAO {DO}
QU {YOU}
AO {WITH}
OL? {him or IT?}
HUH? {HUH?}
UR
THO {NO}
ANTRA
GLISPACH {JETPACK}
IR
RETTE! {BRING!}
"Hey! That's my jetpack! What are you doing with it?"
"Huh?
5:7
BA {I}
WORL {SAID}
THO! {NO!}
OL {IT}
FA {BE}
GLISPACH BU! {MY JETPACK!}
FORS
BA {I}
OL , {IT,}
HET? {GET?}
SISTRIS {WORRY}
THO {NO}
ALANNA {ALANNA}
QU {YOU}
DOL {MAY}
GLISPA {FLY}
THO CHA {WITHOUT}
GLISPACH. {JETPACK.}
"I said no! It's my jetpack! It's mine ,get it?"
"Don't worry, Alana. You can fly without a jetpack."
6:2
ADAM! {ADAM!}
VIER! {SEE!}
"Adam! Look!"
6:3
VIER {SEE}
MASMAT! {THERE!}???
VORYEGGER! {CACTUS-CREATURE!}
"Look there! The cactus-creature!"
6:4
DUSS? {WHAT?}
DUSS {WHAT}
ILILOC {SPEAK}
QU? {YOU?}
UH? {UH?}
THOSMAL. {NOTHING.}???
THOSMAL, {NOTHING,}???
FABRET {FORGET}???
OL? {him or IT}
"What? What are you saying?"
"Huh? Nothing. Nothing. Forget it."
7:1
QU {YOU}
TOMTEL {WAIT}
RARN {HERE}???
ONAMAO BU {MY LOVE.}
"Wait here, my love."
7:2
LARS
BA {I}
DATTASTRANG {DESTROY}???
AM {THIS}???
GLUSTIC {BIG}
GRUSNACH
VORYEGGER! {CACTUS-CREATURE!}
ADAM! {ADAM!}
FA {BE}
AELSMAT! {CAREFUL!}???
THO {NO}
HOORDA {HARM}
QUL! {YOURSELF!}
"I'll destroy this big cactus-creature!"
"Adam! Be careful! Don't get hurt!"
7:3
QU {YOU}
DREST
MAKTE
LOD,
VORYEGGER! {CACTUS-CREATURE!}
AM {THIS}???
SUBLA, {TIME}???
BA {I}
LALTO
DATACHAMSI {DESTROY}????
QU! {YOU}
"You cactus-creature! This time I will destroy you!"
7:4
BA {I}
SHETTE
QU {YOU},
BA {I}
RALZAT
QU? {YOU?}
8:3
ADAM? {ADAM?}
VORYEGGER {CACTUS-CREATURE}
ILILOC {SPEAKS}
INGLISH? {ENGLISH?}
"Adam? The cactus-creature speaks English?"
8:4
UH, TRA {UH, YES}
OL {HE}
UTU {IS CALLED}
"SMALSH-YEGGER"{"SWAMP THING"}
APS {ON}
URTH. {EARTH.}
"Uh, yeah. On Earth he's called Swamp Thing."
8:6
SMALSH-YEGGER {SWAMP THING}
DOH {HERE}???
RETTE {BRINGS}
GLISPACH BU. {MY JETPACK.}
QU {YOU}
DOL {MAY or SHOULD}
CHAP {THANK}
OL. {HIM.}
MISEL {THANK}
QU {YOU}
APS {ABOUT}
GLISPACH, {JETPACK,}
SMALSH-YEGGER.{SWAMP THING.}
"Swamp Thing here has brought my jetpack. You should thank him."
"Thank you for the jetpack, Swamp Thing."
9:6
ADAM? ADAM?
DUSS {WHAT}
ILILOC {SPEAK}
QU {YOU}
AP {ABOUT}
SMALSH-YEGGER?{SWAMP THING?}
"Adam? What are you and Swamp Thing speaking about?"
10:1
ALANNA, ALANNA,
BA {I}
HET {HAVE}
AMAGLIM! {IDEA!}???
EP {WITH}
URTH {EARTH}
EPO {WITH}
GOTHAMAGAR {GOTHAM CITY}
SMALSH-YEGGER{SWAMP THING}
FAOR {COULD}
LURSHASTRANG.{GROW VEGETATION}
FAO {DO}
OL {HE}
LURSHASTRANG {GROW VEGETATION}
EP {WITH}
RANN? {RANN?}
IU, ADAM! {OH, ADAM!}
OLF {THAT}
FAO {IS}
MASSLA! {????}
"Alanna, I have an idea! Back on Earth, Swamp Thing grew vegetation throughout Gotham City. Maybe he could re-fertilize Rann?"
"Oh, Adam! This is a miracle!"
16:2 Not only is it ironic that the fountain takes a cat-like shape to kill the bird-like Thanagarian, but it may be tied to the image from last issue (page 20) of a couple drinking intimately from the skull of a giant cat.
21:2
MAMOON. {PLEASE.}???
IU, {OH,}
SMALSH-YEGGER{SWAMP THING}
MAMOON. {PLEASE.}???
"Please. Oh, Swamp Thing, please.
21:3
ALANNA, ALANNA,
ILILOC {SPEAKS}
"TRA" {"YES"}
"Alanna, he says Yes."
21:4
IU, {OH,}
SMALSH-YEGGER{SWAMP THING}
QU {YOU}
HET {HAVE}
ONAMAS {LOVE}???
BA {I}
"Oh, Swamp Thing, I love you!"
21:5
IU, ADAM! {OH, ADAM!}
BA {I}
CHACHEDO
QU! {YOU!}
"Oh, Adam! I adore you!"
21:6
ADAM ADAM
SASSU {BE AT PEACE}
BA {I}
MASSIENT! {PREGNANT!}
"Adam, rejoice! I am pregnant!"
22:1
MASS {PREGNANCY}
LOC {TEST/RESULTS}
BU. {MY.}
IU, {OH,}
ADAM ADAM
BA {I}
FAO {AM}
SA {SO}
GLELIG! {HAPPY!}???
UH, TRA. {UH, YES.}
TRA {YES}
BAS {WE}
APSI.
IU, {OH,}
ALANNA. ALANNA.
SAMSO
BA {I}
KLAT
IU, ADAM {OH, ADAM}
"My pregnancy test! Oh, Adam! I am so happy!"
"Uh, yes. Yes we {???} Oh, Alanna. {???} I {???}?"
"Oh, Adam."
22:3
BA {I}
ONAMAO {LOVE}
QU. {YOU.}
"I love you."
15:1 Link from 14:6 "I didn't know..."/"I knew it."
21:2 Adam will make good on his promise in issue #61.
22:6 The fountain is heart-shaped.
COMMENT: The cover for this issue is misleading. DC Comics fans will assume that Hawkman and Hawkwoman are pictured on the cover, whereas those are actually different characters in very similar costumes.
COMMENT: I have prepared a Rannian lexicon.
Swampy's face in a mountain seen in ADAM STRANGE: THE MAN OF TWO WORLDS mini-series. |
COMMENT: The tension between the Rann and Thanagar foreshadows the "Invasion!" storyline which crossed over into many DC titles including ST #81.
COMMENT: Issues #57 and 58 provide the first look at the "revised", grimmer perspective on the Adam Strange character, in which he hasn't fully realized that the sterile Rannians regard him merely as breeding stock. This idea was further developed by Richard Bruning in the 1990 3-part series ADAM STRANGE: THE MAN OF TWO WORLDS, which was pretty depressing despite nice artwork by Andy and Adam Kubert. In that story, Swamp Thing doesn't make an appearance, but a religious cult had risen to worship him for his reviving of their planet.(Look for Swampy's face in the first fruit Strange finds.) The "living fountain" is seen in part one. Mark Waid repopularized Adam Strange and restored his sense of heroism in JLA #20-21. Fanzing.com has a good article on Strange's history.
Aaron Severson pointed out to me that in the letter column of ST #62, Editor Karen Berger "said some of the elements of this issue were included to foreshadow what presumably became the Richard Bruning ADAM STRANGE: THE MAN OF TWO WORLDS mini-series, which was originally supposed to be published sometime in 1988. So, rather than the Bruning series picking up the threads from Moore's story, Moore was consciously laying the groundwork for the later book. Berger said Moore had planned to include Adam anyway and just adjusted his story to fit the points he'd been asked to set up, so how many elements were Moore's and how many were Bruning's I don't know."
Severson speculates that Bruning's mini-series got delayed because of the 1988 "Invasion!" crossover event which was shoehorned into all DC series, and then by the premiere of the HAWKWORLD mini-series in 1989.
>
The fertile grove Swampy created on Rann is seen again in the GREEN LANTERN/ADAM STRANGE one-shot special (Oct. 2000) written by Brian K. Vaughn, drawn by Cary Nord, as was part of the Green Lantern: Ring of Fire event. |
COMMENT: Aaron Severson also wrote to me this insight:
Moore did NOT invent Rann's nuclear war or famine, which many reviewers tend to assume. The past atomic war was part of the concept from the very first Adam Strange story, and the famine angle was noted as early as MYSTERY IN SPACE #67. The latter hadn't come up very often since then, probably because Rann was being invaded every few days, but Gardner Fox had built both of these concepts into the strip from the start.
COMMENT: This issue contains an 8 page preview of the 1987 series THE SPECTRE.
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