This was the final issue of the critically acclaimed series in 1972, and O'Neil and Adams (both having grown up Catholic, but not born again Christians) created this controversial story which, though wrong-headed in some regards, showed reverence in an allegory that you'll never see in today's mainstream comics.
You need to be a member of CCAS - Christian Comic Arts Society to add comments!
Replies
The GL/GA story's biggest flaw is that it stops with an allegorical crucifixion---no allusion to resurrection whatsoever.
Where do you think your scripter was coming from with that MM story, Steve? Was he trying to be reverent, or wanting to use Messianic elements to add dramatic weight to his story (with neither devotional nor evangelistic value in mind)?
In the case of the visuals I've shared here, I believe that O'Neil and Adams were trying to do a genuinely moving story (sadly, in 1973 Adams went on to do some very blasphemous "Son o' God" comics for National Lampoon magazine). Remember, the early '70s was the time of "the Jesus movement" - an offshoot of the hippie era in which quite a number of young people came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I certainly don't have to tell you about Chuck Smith and his work with the Calvary Chapels which sprang up in that period when many wayward youths were coming out of the drug- (and std-) infested communes and into a legitimate encounter with our risen Saviour. The cultural zeitgeist was such that even the unsaved could not ignore "the Jesus movement" and comics like GL/Ga #89 (and all other media) and some of the other comics I've shared (with more to come soon) reflected that.
When I was working on Mister Miracle back in the day, I had a rather heated discussion with the writer over a proposed storyline.
It seems that after gaining his god-like powers (remember MM is part of the people in the DC Universe known as The New Gods), Mister Miracle was to be worshipped by the masses on earth. Rejecting their misguided adoration, he is captured by the people- now an unruly mob- and is crucified.
But, as it was to be written, he manages to rise again.
I objected, and said I would work on it. The writer and I had a heated back-and-forth. But, later he agreed to tweak the script, and side-step the whole crucify/resurrection thing.
Working in the world, and illustrating the world's stories is always interesting for the believing illustrator.
Yep.