{"id":2049,"date":"2011-01-11T22:03:54","date_gmt":"2011-01-12T03:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/?p=2049"},"modified":"2011-01-11T22:03:54","modified_gmt":"2011-01-12T03:03:54","slug":"day-103-threshold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/2011\/01\/11\/day-103-threshold\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 103: The Big Boom!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Call it what you will — Blow-Up! Doom-Time! Holocaust Time! The Big Boom! — but it sure looks like the end of our heroes, The Project and all of Metropolis when The Four-Armed Terror, looking to munch on raw atomic energy is wrecking havoc with the facility’s atomic reactor, and Kirby builds up the anxiety as deftly as Hitchcock throughout this nail-biting issue!<\/p>\n

It’s Mokkari and Simyan, the Apokolips agents in charge of Darkseid’s Evil Factory who first envision the Big Boom as they track the progress of the Four-Armed Terror as it closes in on The Project’s atomic power plant. After the D.N.Alien cocoons Superman, Jimmy and the kids in a giant, impenetrable shell, “Hunger<\/em> has replaced fury! There is abundant<\/em> food nearby! One<\/em> pair of arms seeks leverage on the wall of rock — while the other<\/em> arms grasp the metal leading to the food! Primitive, savage strength tears free all obstructions!! The path ahead is now clear<\/em> and round and smooth! The smell of food is overpowering — the creature increases<\/em> its pace!” The mutant is traveling through a tube and there is a sign reading, “CAUTION: DANGER ZONE!” with a notice to check clothing for leakage.”<\/p>\n

Somewhere, in their hidden<\/em> location, the operators<\/em> of the “Evil Factory” follow<\/em> the creature’s progress!<\/p>\n

Simyan: <\/strong>There’s the blip!<\/em> Our fledgling is in the main conduit!<\/p>\n

Mokkari: <\/strong>Praise Darkseid!<\/em><\/p>\n

Simyan: <\/strong>Yes, directly in his path is a giant atomic pile<\/em> that supplies power to the entire<\/em> underground world of The “Project!”<\/p>\n

Mokkari: <\/strong>He must<\/em> feed on radiation! He’ll rip that pile apart and trigger a chain reaction!<\/em> Then a great<\/em> white flash! A fire storm<\/em> of indescribable heat! Shock<\/em> upon shock<\/em> as a mushroom cloud rises where once The Project<\/em> stood! A job well done, eh, Simyan?<\/em><\/p>\n

Simyan: <\/strong>It will be beautiful, Mokkari!<\/em> And with it will go the rest! Yes — and even the city of Metropolis<\/em> — which lies above, within range! We’ll have carried out, to the letter, the order<\/em> of our great leader, Darklseid!<\/em> Surely this is a triumph<\/em> for the forces of our world — Apokolips!<\/em> The pattern is set!<\/em> We have bred the perfect<\/em> instrument to challenge<\/em> humanity!<\/p>\n

Mokkari: <\/strong>Sprung from their own<\/em> seed — and nutured by radioactive<\/em> vapors!<\/p>\n

Simyan: <\/strong>The others are stirring!<\/em> They’re breaking free<\/em> of their protective<\/em> shells, Mokkari!<\/p>\n

Mokkari: <\/strong>It is their<\/em> time, Simyan!<\/em> Their birth heralds the age of holocaust! Hail Homo Usurpus!<\/em> Earth lies before you for the taking!<\/p>\n

The final<\/em> countdown is on! It isn’t<\/em> waiting for Jimmy Olsen<\/em>, his pal Superman<\/em>, or for any of us!<\/em> So stay<\/em> where you are — on Ground Zero<\/em> — so you won’t<\/em> miss the following issue — and the Big Boom!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That closes JO<\/em> #137, and the next issue opens with pandemonium at The Project. The opening caption reads: “The End of the World<\/em> is at hand! But who would believe us!!?? You<\/em> would! — If you knew what was going on, underground, in the world of The Project!<\/em> Down there, it is fifteen minutes to The Big Boom!!<\/em>\u201d A commanding officers barks orders to his soldiers, “Snap to it, men! <\/em>You know<\/em> what our scanners show!” One says, “Yeah! Wow!<\/em>\u201d and the other, “It’s holocaust time<\/em> at the atomic power plant!” Coming right at us on this opening splash page are the Guardian and the original Newsboy Legion wielding pistols.<\/p>\n

Tommy, Sr.:<\/strong> Our rival<\/em> project, the Evil Factory<\/em>, has turned loose a destructive D.N.Alien<\/em> in our area!<\/p>\n

Flippa-Dippa’s Dad: <\/strong>Superman’s<\/em> trying to head him off! But he’s run into trouble!<\/em><\/p>\n

Big-Words, Sr.: <\/strong>Let’s go! Jimmy Olsen<\/em> and our kids<\/em> are with him!<\/p>\n

Moments later, an armed<\/em> convoy of battle-trained security troops races<\/em> toward the alien<\/em> danger unleashed by a hidden enemy!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We see a spectacular panorama of the giant cave that encompasses the main Project complex. Unidentified voices rise from various transports.<\/p>\n

First voice:<\/strong> There’s no telling what’s happened! Our instruments show they’ve made contact<\/em> with the alien!<\/p>\n

Second voice: <\/strong>But the alien is heading for our atomic power plant!<\/em> All traces of Superman<\/em> and the boys have vanished!<\/em><\/p>\n

Third voice: <\/strong>Go, men! The Evil Factory has jammed<\/em> all communications with our atomic power plant! We can’t warn them!<\/em> All we can do now is pour on the speed!<\/p>\n

When the convoy reaches an entrance of the fabled “Zoomway<\/em>\u201d its vehicles switch to jet<\/em> speed and roar towards where the action<\/em> is!!<\/p>\n

Big-Words, Sr.: <\/strong>Our destination lies in the Wild Area<\/em>, outside of The Project! When we get there, Don’t <\/em>think! Just act!<\/em> Time is running out — but fast!<\/em><\/p>\n

Gabby, Sr.: <\/strong>The old Newsboy Legion<\/em> — the Guardian<\/em> — and danger<\/em> — you know, fellas, I’m getting like a lump in the heart!!<\/p>\n

Scrapper, Sr.: <\/strong>Shaddap, Gabby!<\/em> If we don’t pull this one off, that lump is gonna be a hole fifty miles wide!<\/em><\/p>\n

Thirteen<\/em> minutes to destruction! The D.N.A<\/em>lien, driven by primitive fury and a hunger for radiation, gets closer<\/em> to his objective — the atomic power plant!<\/em> He moves without resistance, for those who would stop him are imprisoned<\/em> in a trap of the alien’s<\/em> weaving!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While Superman, Jimmy and their young cohorts are trapped inside the egg with “a wild<\/em> atomic structure” and figure out how to escape, we on the outside know there’s only eleven minutes to Doomsday!<\/p>\n

\nCloser! Closer!<\/em> Ahead lies the great source of food on which the Four-Armed Terror<\/em> can gorge<\/em> himself! His arms tear out earth, rock and the buried equipment which leads to the atomic power plant!<\/em> Suddenly, his path is blocked by a thick lead wall! It resists his brute strength! The alien digs! He hammers! But the wall stands!<\/em> On the other side of the wall, startled workers and security guards converge on the sounds of attack!!<\/em> But the D.N.A<\/em>lien is already digging beneath<\/em> the wall — digging toward his goal — it is nine<\/em> minutes to holocaust!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The gang finally gets out of their predicament and immediately the Man of Steel takes to the air. Jimmy cries out, “Superman! Wait for us!<\/em>” and Scrapper adds, “Yeah, We<\/em> wanna get dat alien too!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Superman<\/em> takes no time to reply! Speed<\/em> is the answer now! It is seven<\/em> minutes to fiery end! Like a supersonic<\/em> dart, the Man of Steel<\/em> follows the trail of torn rock and metal on the heels<\/em> of his quarry!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Superman thinks, “Got to stop him! Got to!<\/em>” The next caption reads, “His momentum almost hurls him agains a great lead wall — built to stop radiation leaks!” Superman says aloud, “The alien was here — I can see his marks! But where is he now?”<\/p>\n

After an interlude with Terry Dean and Perry White, we see more wide-angle shots of the Project trooper convoy traveling into the Outsiders’ realm.<\/p>\n

It is six<\/em> minutes to disaster!<\/em> And the fates are gathering the principal<\/em> players in their death game swiftly<\/em> together!<\/p>\n

Voice: <\/strong>This is it! A camouflaged Zoomway exit!<\/em><\/p>\n

Second Voice: <\/strong>We’re entering the Wild Area! Alert the convoy! <\/em>We’re almost at our destination!<\/p>\n

Third voice: <\/strong>There’s our kids’ Whiz Wagon! <\/em>Wherever Superman<\/em> is, we’ll find them on his trail!<\/p>\n

Scrapper, Sr.: <\/strong>There’s a tunnel ahead! It looks like the alien is digging<\/em> his way to the atomic plant!<\/p>\n

Big-Words, Sr.: <\/strong>Then that’s<\/em> where Superman<\/em> and our boys are! Let’s go!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then Mokkari and Simyan, observing the Project forces on video screen, send their army of Four-Armed Terrors into the Dimensional Threshold! Morgan Edge, thoughtfully tipped off by Inter-Gang to get the hell out of Dodge, flies away from Metropolis before the Big Boom!<\/p>\n

Three<\/em> minutes to violent eruption!<\/em> Beneath the blast area, Superman frantically<\/em> scurries in the wake of the Four-Armed Terror!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“I hear sounds of shooting<\/em> up ahead!” thinks Superman. “He’s broken into the atomic power plant!<\/em>” Guards scream, “Stop him! Stop him!<\/em><\/em>\u201d and fire at the creature, who uses his four upper appendages to throw them aside in his ceaseless quest for satiation. Thinks the Man of Steel, That thing mustn’t<\/em> reach the reactor!<\/em>\u201d Jumping from behind, Superman puts the beast in a headlock. “This is as far as you go, mister!” says our hero. “AARRUK!<\/em>\u201d says our villain. “Maddened<\/em> by his hunger for radiation, the D.N.Alien increases<\/em> his power! He hurls Superman<\/em> from him!!” Superman says, “Wha-?” and Four-Armed Terror says, “ARUK!<\/em>\u201d Then, “the creature lunges at the reactor — tearing at the metal…” A cringing scientist helpfully explains, “Good lord! He’s pulling out the damper rods!”<\/p>\n

“That’s done it!<\/em>\u201d thinks Superman. “The damper rods regulate<\/em> the flow of radiation! And he’s using them as waepons!<\/em> — Against me!<\/em>\u201d Four rods flung by four arms fly with a ZZZWWOOOSH<\/em> towards the last son of Krypton. “The great boron steel rods shatter<\/em> like matchsticks upon impact with Superman!<\/em>\u201d (KRAKANNKKLE<\/em>) Our hero thinks, “Now<\/em> what? Without the rods, the radiation flow will rise to the danger<\/em> level — where the reactor reaches critical mass!<\/em>”<\/p>\n

The reactor begins to run wild! And the alien feeds upon the escaping energy!<\/p>\n

Four-Armed Terror:<\/strong> ARUK! ARUK!<\/em><\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>Come down from there, you animal!<\/p>\n

It is one<\/em> minute to Blow-Up! And it can’t be stopped! As if to nail down <\/em>this fact to Superman<\/em>, the glistening Threshold<\/em> appears — and from it pours an army of D.N.Aliens! And to meet their charge at this incredible<\/em> moment, The Project security forces arrive<\/em> to close in for battle!!<\/p>\n

Soldier: <\/strong>Open fire! <\/em>Give \u2019em all you’ve got!<\/p>\n

Superman:<\/strong> [Thinking] They’re too late!<\/em> It’s just about doom-time!<\/em><\/p>\n

Big-Words, Sr.: <\/strong>Superman!<\/em> We found the boys! They filled us in! — They — Wha–!?<\/em> The reactor’s reaching critical mass! It’ll melt<\/em> — flood the area with deadly<\/em> radiation!<\/p>\n

Gabby, Sr.: <\/strong>No! No!<\/em><\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>It’s worse!<\/em> Those aliens<\/em> could trigger an atomic blast!<\/em> Are the test tunnels<\/em> still here?<\/p>\n

Big-Words, Sr.: <\/strong>Yes!<\/em> Beyond the reactor chamber! We’ve been planning to tap the Earth’s core for power!<\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>Fine!<\/em> Now! When I give the signal — halt<\/em> the firing! Break<\/em> ranks and let the D.N.Aliens<\/em> come through!<\/p>\n

It is thirty seconds SECONDS <\/em>to eternity! The battle rages in full fury!<\/em><\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>Hold them back!<\/em> Just for one<\/em> second more!<\/p>\n

Bracing himself against the sizzling reactor, Superman<\/em> pours his might<\/em> into one<\/em> lifting motion…<\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>It’s got to be now!<\/em><\/p>\n

Then he jars<\/em> the reactor from its foundation!<\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>This is it! Stop firing! Let the aliens through! Let them through!<\/em><\/p>\n

Lifting the great reactor, Superman runs<\/em> with his burden toward the test tunnels!<\/em> The security lines suddenly open! And the aliens<\/em> break through! Countdown has begun! 10 — 9 — 8 — 7 — 6 — 5 —<\/em><\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>The aliens are following<\/em> the trail of radiation — as I’d hoped!<\/em> I’ve got to use sonic<\/em> speed now!<\/p>\n

4 — 3 — 2 —<\/em><\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>The deep core tunnel! And down she goes!<\/p>\n

Like maddened lemmings, the aliens<\/em> ignore Superman<\/em> and hurl themselves after the plummeting reactor!!<\/p>\n

Superman: <\/strong>They’re blindly following their food supply!<\/p>\n

Then thousands of feet below, an immense, fiery blast occurs — which sends seismograph needles waving hundreds of miles away!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Phew! <\/em>That was a close one! And, okay, you’re right, the Big Boom is more a non-event, huh?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Call it what you will — Blow-Up! Doom-Time! Holocaust Time! The Big Boom! — but it sure looks like the end of our heroes, The Project and all of Metropolis when The Four-Armed Terror, looking to munch on raw atomic energy is wrecking havoc with the facility’s atomic reactor, and Kirby builds up the anxiety […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,6,7,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-day-entries","category-earth","category-events","category-jimmy-olsen-138"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3urou-x3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2049"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2049\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kirbymuseum.org\/blogs\/365fourth\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}