Geoffrey Gatza

Pier 623

The large cargo ship tied to the dock of the pier
stretched as far as the eye could pay tribute
to advancements over the maritime and water

Support came in my the millions. Bruce Wayne
Donated all of the resources of Wayne industries

The angles of the earth people poured out for the poor
The Flash raced around the world in return for donations

The Green Arrow was more direct, making throats quiver

Wonder Woman gathered aid from the Amazon tribes
Jonah Hex raided hell, while Aquaman raised the oceans

Tommy Tomorrow and Space Ranger still have not returned
but have radioed ahead of their success from Alpha Centari

               Lois Lane was on hand to report of the final loading
               She pictured with Bruce Wayne, So Bruce why all this?

                      I am not a leader of man but a captain of business
                      and business must return to the earth what it takes
                      And Superman makes one heck of an impression

               Is Superman the only reason outside of a huge tax break

                      why Ms. Lane you take me for a cynic

               No I'm just paid to ask the tough questions.
               By the way where is the man of the hour?

                      I think he's off to the mountains
                      afraid they might make him king
                      Let's continue this over dinner...

But then the sun looked suddenly small in the grown light

The panel showing the explosion is astonishingly abstract art

full of astronomical and weather symbols

little planets with rings like Saturn,
star shapes, lightning bolts intertwined,
a figure like an Aurora Borealis.

full of spirals, and other kinds of geometric figures.

During the Silver Age, artists regularly used abstract panels
to convey time travel, passage to a new dimension, and other state changes.

This Golden Age story uses it to describe an explosion that gives birth to a super-hero.
It is a different use of abstract art. The panel is beautiful. It is also full of energy and
visual excitement, as are many of the panels in this tale.

 

Bruce Wayne and Lois Lane looked out towards the exploding ship
the hope and survival of millions of people discharged as heat light

workers in Yellow hard hats ran circling patterns to escape
the flames of the burning bags of grains, scent of crumpets

The toaster clicking, jumping into the fire jumping far away
The sirens set the pieces in place, they once fit if they could
put it together, but the flames rose higher, and up up away

                was the famous red cape
                the streak unmistakable

                 It was Superman rising

                 Communication to base
                 we have visuals on target

                 The red and blue summersault
                 fanned flames, Lois Lane cried
                 While Superman seemed to cry

                                      tears of joy
                                      streamed down
                                      the chalk white
                                      beveled cheeks

                                     this was of course
                                               bizarre
                                     I know the pieces fit!

in seconds the Batman, the dark knight of Gotham City was on hand

But it was over before it could begin
Superman from no where destroyed
            all that he built in one swoop

            Batman
            Aquaman
            Green Lantern
            and Lois Lane

                                loomed betrayal

                                How this?

 

It was hours before the fire subsided
To the west the Green Lantern pointed

Flying low over the sea the man of steel

         approaching he called,
        It is I, do not be afraid

I am aware from the reports you believe that I am responsible for this
           This is a pure detective story
there are no elements of fantasy or science fiction that cannot explain

This is an archetypal tale about a phony medium.
Comic books regularly ran such stories, right up

           a full range of fake "supernatural" events
           we need to warn the public about this con

I tell you truly, you are looking for me not because you saw signs,
but because you saw from your eyes and not from your heart

Do not work for the food that perishes,
but rather for the food that lasts forever,

But it was the policeman's handcuff's that welcomed him home

Officer Smicknicolic asked politely, if you will Superman,
Please respect the order of the law. You are under arrest
and even though you can bend steel bars I will ask again
that you do nothing to hamper this action of justice

Superman lifted his drooping arms

                      the shame from saving
                                all the times the planet
for the humanitarian service a mistake clicked silver handcuffs
            this was all symbolic but when his head slammed the door
            as he was ushered into the police's backseat he knew fake

                        or not there was real hatred for him
                        if rocks could injure they would fly

 

In another scene
Lex Luthor clasped joy
in his hands wrung serenity

 

          and the world gasps

 

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