Dazzler #2 (1981)
by Tom DeFalco & John Romita Jr.
You can tell by the second cover that the connection to disco took a while before disappearing from Dazzler stories.
It’s the big debut on stage for Dazzler, but she’s still applying her own stage makeup so she can’t be THAT famous. Yet.
Dazzler’s daddy issues distilled in a single panel.
You might remember from the previous issue that I’m keeping track of just how many superheroes are Dazzler fans. And this issue is when things turn ridiculous!!!
Time for Dazzler to dazzle us, I guess!
While she sings, however, the Enchantress is lurking backstage. The entire point of her “plan” is that she HAS to be on stage at a specific moment when an interdimensional portal is going to open…
…so she decides to make Dazzler die of old age!
With multiple superheroes in the audience you’d expect someone else to notice the Enchantress, but nope, it’s up to Dazzler to defeat with a DISCO BALL LASER!!!
This might be one of the first time the public reacts in a realistic way to witnessing superpowers.
I appreciate that this comic doesn’t take itself too seriously, but why exactly does the Thing need to change clothes?
Still, Dazzler’s fans come to her rescue!
Except the Enchantress summons a bunch of generic fantasy goons, so… big dumb fight.
The credits on the first page only reference John Romita Jr. as the penciler, but online resources also credit Walt Simonson. And yeah, some of these panels practically scream Simonson!
The slugfest drags on and on for several pages, until Dazzler finally decides that maybe someone should check on the Enchantress.
It’s a crucial point that Dazzler does NOT consider herself a superhero in any way.
But with the portal almost open, Enchantress summons one last super-powerful demon…
…and Dazzler has to unleash her catchphrase!
Okay, I have to admit that was a badass moment. Possibly the only moment “GO FOR IT!” works as a catchphrase.
This closes the dimensional rift; Enchantress leaves since she doesn’t have a reason to stay anymore, but she vows to torment Dazzler again. Which she will.
Dazzler is just as much of an optimist as Spider-Man.
Except she gets a chance of a music contract out of this whole mess.
Now… if this was any other series the story would be over, right? Dazzler has defeated the bad guy and the subplot of her career can continue in the following issue.
But this is Dazzler we’re talking about, so the absurdity needs to be cracked up to eleven when she’s flown to her audition BY THE AVENGERS!!! AND THE X-MEN!!!!
The producer turns out to be a complete ass…
…but he’s basically bullied by FREAKING SUPERHEROES into giving Dazzler an audition!!!!
THIS SERIES IS AMAZING.
If you’re trying to figure out WTF is Dazzler’s music style… good luck because she’s all over the place!!!
And of course she gets the contract, because what else did you expect?
And that’s the end! We’ve already seen next issue in the Doctor Doom retrospective, but I’ll go over it again because I skipped most of the Dazzler stuff.
Dazzler significance: 8/10
As the official start of her singing career it’s quite important.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
It was very tame until two and a half superhero teams took it upon themselves to bring a singer to her audition!!!
Does it stand the test of time? 3/10
Most of the main story is pretty generic, consisting mostly of heroes fighting generic monsters and making corny jokes. Plus Dazzler is not very interesting in this… she has daddy issues and wants to be a singer. That’s the full extent of her characterization here, and we already knew all of that from the previous story! The Enchantress is a terrible fit for her, and she’s at her utmost stereotypical.
On the upside the artwork is pretty good, with a couple of gems.
Despite all that it could’ve scraped a 6/10… if it wasn’t for the ABSOLUTELY BONKERS finale.
GO FOR IT!: 2
Superhero fans: 14
Told you thinks would turn ridiculous!!! Adding to the count *deep breath* the Thing, Kitty Pride, Nightcrawler, Angel, Colossus, Wolverine, Storm, Captain America, Wasp, Hawkweye and Iron Man.
Super love interests: 1
I think this was the issue that made me think this comic was trying WAY to hard to get people to like Dazzler. It had the opposite effect on me, so I dropped it.
Also, in a genre where a pair of glasses or a tiny domino mask can completely safeguard a hero’s real identity, why do I find it so hard to believe that Cap can conceal his shield under a suit jacket without looking like a hunchback?
Gotta love that all those heroes had nothing better to do.