When
a raging fight between Superman and Brainiac knocks down the United Nations
building….when Batman's brought up on child endangerment charges…when Wonder
Woman misplaces her lasso at a jewelry show…when Lobo shows up on Earth and
does pretty much anything…you read about it in the "DCU DIGEST"!
50 cents
August, 1999
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Wesley Dodds, Sandman, 1918 - 1999
| New York, NY - New York is
now a city in double mourning. Following the death of John F. Kennedy,
Jr., in a tragic plane crash, New York has now lost another of its
favorite sons, Wesley Dodds, a.k.a. the Sandman.
Dodds's ward and former partner, Sanderson Hawkins, stood outside
the Manhattan high-rise where Dodds lived most of his life with
Hawkins's aunt, the late author Dian Belmont, and announced, tearfully,
that Dodds, who was spending his last days in Tibet, had died
in a fall from a mountain. Chinese officials agreed to look for
Dodds's body and return is as soon as possible if it can be found.
If Dodds did indeed fall from a mountain, it is very likely
he would exhibit signs of blunt trauma to his body very similar
to that which killed John Kennedy and his two passengers when
the plane carrying them plummeted into the Ocean near Martha's
Vineyard, Massachusetts. Kennedy often passed by Dodds's building
while rollerblading through Manhattan.
Dodds, as the Sandman, was one of the first costumed heroes
of the World War II era. Following close on the heels of the Crimson
Avenger and the Clock, he carried a gun that shot a special sleeping
gas of Dodds's devising, which made him stand out above those
two as a crimefighter. His specialty was the solving of mysteries,
and in one of his first known cases, he is credited with solving
the string of murders in New York committed by the Tarantula (not
to be confused with the hero who later bore that name).
Dodds began his career wearing only a gas mask, trench coat
and hat, but later switched to a more conventional super-hero
costume when such outfits came into fashion. It was around the
time of that costume switch that Hawkins began his super-heroic
career as Sandy, the Golden Boy.
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Dodds's career was marked by tragedy,
although not as much as the family history of the Kennedys. Sandman,
a charter member of the Justice Society of America, was forced to
quit the team in 1945 due to a heart condition. He devoted himself
to scientific experimentation, but that resulted in the transformation
of Sandy into a monster made of sand, a condition that was not cured
until the Justice League helped the Justice Society to do so a number
of years ago. Dodds tried to return to action several times, but
his health remained frail, and his attempts were cut short by heart
attacks and once, a stroke. When several members of the Justice
Society lost their lives during the Zero Hour crisis, he was aged
a great degree.
To the Kennedy family, by contrast, long lives, however tragic,
would seem to be a blessing. Of the children of Joseph and Rose
Kennedy, one son was killed in World War II, one daughter died
in a plane crash, and two sons, of course, were assassinated.
In addition, the next generation of Kennedys has become plagued
by young death as well, including not only that of John F. Kennedy
Jr. and his wife, but also of two of Robert Kennedy's sons, Michael
and David.
One of Dodds's last known exploits was his helping Starman solve
a murder/insurance fraud involving the airship company run by
Warren Gayle. Ironically, the villain in that case was revealed
to be an old enemy of his, a master of disguise known as "The
Face," an irony similar to the return of airplane disaster to
the Kennedy family, a problem which killed two of John Jr.'s father's
siblings.
Reaction on the street was sadness. "I think John-John's death
was a terrible tragedy, and I'm sure old Mr. Dodds would agree
with me," said Edna Simpson, who lived on the Upper East Side
of Manhattan, near both. When pressed about Dodds's own death,
she replied, "I'm sure John would have been very saddened to hear
of it if he were alive today."
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Martian Manhunter Acquitted
JLA Watchtower - The Justice League announced
today that the Martian Manhunter is no longer under suspicion in
several recent murders and assaults.
Instead, the culprit is apparently another Martian, who had
been responsible for the destruction of all Martians other than
the well-known Justice Leaguer, who escaped the destruction by
accident when he was brought to Earth by Professor Saul Erdel
of Colorado.
Malefic, as the League refers to him has apparently been behind
the murder to Denver detective Karen Smith, of the mental torture
of a super-villain known only as Jemm, and of assaults on other
Justice League members. He apparently disguised himself as the
Martian Manhunter in order to frame him for these acts, leading
the League to be suspicious of their long-time teammate. However,
his long record of loyalty to Earth and to the League earned him
the benefit of the doubt when he needed it most.
This is not the first time that the Manhunter has been suspected
by the League of impropriety. He was, in fact, almost expelled
from the League during its founding year on suspicion of having
a hand in the Appelaxian invasion. He was, however, cleared of
wrongdoing then as well. On several subsequent occasions, the
Earth has been attacked by his fellow Martians, but despite some
public suspicions, the League never suspected him of disloyalty
at those times.
The Department of Extranormal Operations declined to comment
on the issue, except to say they were happy to see that one of
the original Justice Leaguers is not a murderer. A spokesman for
the Department says there is no perceived large-scale Martian
threat, and have no intentions of setting up a special detail
to monitor the situation.
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Rock Star Goth Missing
New York, NY - The Gothic rock star called
Goth disappeared during a convention in New York city. A number
of his fans disappeared as well, into what they have called a part
of Hell, but they reappeared after being rescued by the Titans,
who were in attendance as well. Goth, however, is still at large,
and may be charged with kidnapping.
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TODAY IN
THE DAILY PLANET:
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NATION:
Summer heat wave is not backlash from Sun-Eater crisis, says
S.T.A.R. Labs.
WORLD:
Kosovar refugees overtaxing Markovia's resources
POLITICS:
Millionaire Steve Dayton considers run at G.O.P. nomination
BUSINESS
Wayne Technologies to spin off waynetech.com as separate company
FILM
Oliver Stone to produce "JFK Jr."
LIFESTYLE
Fast-paced fun in Keystone City
MEDIA
Is the media guilty of overkill in JFK Jr. tragedy? We don't
think so! Keep buying it, you star-struck get-a-lifes! Bwa-ha-ha!
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