Ambush Bug Does Supergirl

SUPERGIRL #16, DC Comics, February 1984
Ambush Bug started out as a villain in the pages of DC Comics Presents, but I remember when he first became a hero. Man, those were the days. He had problems, sure, but even Superman couldn't fly his first time out. And yeah, it looks like he's having trouble with rudimentary stuff on this cover, but you have to remember Who's Who was still a couple years away. More than that for the Super entries!

I have to say though... Supergirl #16 may have been his first heroic moment, but it wasn't necessarily his proudest. Behind that Keith Giffen cover is a not very funny (or maybe I should say not intentionally funny) Paul Kupperberg story and odd Carmine Infantino artwork. It's also got about a hundred pages of Supergirl subplot stuff I won't bore you with. Let's just get to the Bug.

Oh yeah, that's right. He's not yet a hero. In fact, he's a convict. Sweet break-out scheme though!
And you can tell he's still a villain, just by the Lex Luthor look all the cell boys are getting these days.
Since they're stupidly carrying his teleportation costume with him, he grabs it takes off... almost too fast!
Pull up your pants, Buggy!

And it's off with the superhero career. Who else would defend Chicago against the evils of litterbugs?
Smokers and progressive jazz musicians are on his list too. And he probably would have gotten to people who borrow my stuff and don't bring it back too if Supergirl hadn't intervened:
Except Ambush Bug thinks she's Superman. Maybe he's gotten a dose of red kryptonite, who knows? He sure wasn't ready for THIS sight:
Anyway, the shenanigans that follow include a giant pinball machine and a symphony played on all-stolen instruments (quite the criminal scheme). In the end, a forgettable bad guy is taken into custody, and so is AB. But not before he gets a chance to show he's not just your average lunatic:
Oooh! Can't tell a boy from a girl, but he can tell a girl from the same girl! Uhm... yeah! And you KNOW Supergirl's gonna take that crack about her hair to heart!
The perm and headband, right? It was the 80s, what can I tell you? I went to my prom in a white sports jacket. It wasn't our fault. Every day was before Labour Day. Let he who is without sin and all that... how can I ever hope to criticize Misters Kupperberg, Infantino and Bug?
Ambush Bug returns in 6 weeks. Tell your friends.

Comments

De said…
That end banner is 18 shades of awesome, my friend!
Sea-of-Green said…
Oh, how I love Ambush Bug. I've been looking forward to Ambush Bug more than just about anything else this summer, I think. :-)