DCRO 14- New Comics (1935) #6 [Z Story]

Story title: "The Invisible Empire, Part 3"

DCRO entry

Cover Date: July 1936

By: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Today we go back to New Comics to continue the "The Invisible Empire" storyline, but we only get two more parts. Let's get right to it.

Wow! This is what I call not wasting time! Only three panels in, and a big-ass tank is already terrorizing the city. And there's a bus beside it for comparison and everything.

I guess we don't need a lot of context: after their plans to infect the city and to kill the president were foiled, the terrorist group said "Fuck it, get the tank". And now they're headed right to the capitol.

The tank's design is cool and all, but it looks a bit like a really big guy with a disproportionally small head... Kind of like the bad guy from Puss in Boots 2, you know?

Side note: an interesting detail to note here is that Siegel and Shuster are trying a more liberal panel composition, and since comic books were very new and they didn't really know how to guide the reader back then, you can see these little numbers telling you the order of the panels.

Next, more destruction: The tank obliterates the capitol and a fucking army comes out of it, wearing gas masks and all.  They also have a "wierd ray gun" that turns off plane motors. I wonder how that works... Anyway, they have the president at gunpoint, but apparently, first, they need to get rid of the most dangerous Federal Men, which of course includes Steve Carson.

And get this! Steve was hiding there the whole time and when the soldiers leave, he beats down the leader. 

Will Steve be able to defeat an entire army that possesses a big ass tank, a "wierd ray gun" and as masks? Probably yes, the man is immune to explosions and bullets anyway. So, let's turn the page and...

Oh no, not again! That's it... and there's not even a "to be continued". I guess at least this time I know what happened. Anyway, let's get to the ratings.

Quality/Enjoyment: 2/5

This one was kind of a mess. The destruction was pretty cool, but even with the context of the previous parts, it kind of feels like it comes out of nowhere. Also, there's almost no story, and it's "wierd" that the MC only shows up in one panel. All in all, it suffers from the same issue as the first part: it feels unfinished.

Historical/Cultural/Narrative Significance: 2/5

I'll give it an extra point for the panel composition. I don't know if it was the first comic to do it, but it's the first in the order. Also, big tanks and cities burning are always cool to see! (That's right,  I have the same taste in comic books as a 10-year old)

Anyway, that's it for now. The next part and I think every part after that, is four pages long, so maybe this story will improve. For now, thank you for reading, and have a nice rest of your day!