New Gods #23 (February 1991)

When it comes to the grand universe, it's easy to feel that anything we do is insignificant. After all, the average person is just one of many billions of people that reside on this planet. And our planet is just one of many, many, many worlds in our galaxy. So, yeah. It's easy to feel small and unimportant. 

However, one person can be significant, and can end up even saving the world. That's something the New Gods can attest to, as they'll see in New Gods #23!

The cover is a Steve Irwin piece. I like it. It depicts Orion trying to fight the villain of the comic, the monstrous Agogg, with a civilian watching on in horror. 

"Lingering Melody"
Writer: Mark Evanier
Penciler: Steve Irwin
Inker: Will Blyberg
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: Bob Pinaha
Editor: Jonathan Peterson
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The story begins not in a place one would expect a tale regarding extraterrestrial god-like beings like him would: In an ordinary hospital on Earth, with an ordinary man hearing a devastating diagnosis.

Page 1, Panel 1

Meet Ellis Ames. He is a young man with a seemingly bright future ahead of him. At least, he was. But now, he only has mere months to live. He laments that he has seemingly contributed nothing to the world, that he has left no legacy. But this man does has something special about him the Apokolyptian New God known as Desaad discovered. You see, Mr. Ames has a piece of the Anti-Life Equation within him, the formula that would allow his master Darkseid to control the minds of every being in the universe. 

Darkseid wants to know more about this man. Ames lives alone now. He had a "roommate", but he passed away, nor has he ever married. Ames is a musician by trade. He's trying to get a record deal, but the record companies say his music is too "old-fashioned". He volunteers to play music for the patients at a hospital in New York City. Despite his struggles, the patients love his tunes. Darkseid notes the irony that this seemingly insignficant man has a piece of the most powerful mind-control formula in the multiverse. The Source has a funny sense of humor.

In the city of Armagetto, some workers are planning an uprising. It's a regular thing on this ruined planet. After all, try as he might, even Darkseid can't crush the human need for freedom. It's why he is after the Anti-Life Equation. The meeting gets a visitor, and his aims are not friendly towards the workers.

Page 3, Panel 3

The being is named Agogg, and this powerhouse is a loyal servant of Darkseid. The man himself calls on Agogg to go to Earth and get Ames, but not to kill or even harm him. After all, if he dies, then Darkseid is screwed. Speaking of Earth, we come to that planet and see Lightray flying. He's enjoying the beauty of Earth's nature when Orion finds him, saying that he's needed. The two New Gods report to Dave Lincoln, who alerts them to a Boom Tube opening up on West 76th Street.

The two New Gods go to check it out. As they leave, Lincoln notes how Lightray and Orion are so very different. Orion is cold, angry, bitter. Lightray is sunny, friendly, and warm. You'd think two people so different would not be able to stand each other, much less work together. But that's the funny thing about life. It can surprise you. 

Back at Ames's apartment, he's working on a new tune. He's considering giving up on the whole music thing, but then he feels an earthquake coming. This is no natural disaster, though.

Page 8, Panel 4

"AGOGG GIVE FATAL HUG."

Thankfully for Ames, Orion shows up and engages Agogg in combat.

While Orion starts throwing hands with the large Apokoliptian, Lightray gets Ames out of there.

Unfortunately for Orion, Agogg is no slouch in raw power, and he's able to knock out Orion in the form of introducing his head to a brick wall.

Lightray takes Ames to the top of one of the Twin Towers. Let's remember, this was 1991. Ames recalls hearing about the New Gods from the news. He envies Lightray because of his power to fly. Also, the New Gods save lives. They help protect Earth. They do things that matter. Whereas he himself is just a failing musician with a terminal illness. Lightray points out that one does not need to fly or even be a New God to matter. 

As they talk, Orion tracks Agogg, and sees a wrecked music publishing building. Orion, unaware that Ellis Ames is a musician, is left completely confused.

Luckily, the owner clarifies it, and the hunt continues on. Upon the rooftop, Ames and Lightray continue their little bonding moment. Ames does admit Lightray does have a point about his existence impacting others. As shown previously, he used to volunteer to play music for the patients at the children's hospital. But he stopped when he got sick, and he was told that he was not allowed to play for them anymore because they feared he'd infect the children. Ames states that all he ever wanted to do was leave the world a little bit better than if he never lived. Lightray tries to cheer him up by saying he can do it again once he recovers from his illness, but Ames points out he won't ever recover. More on this later. 

So, where is Orion and Agogg at? The Royer Children's Hospital. The nod is a nice one, as Royer inked a lot of Jack Kirby's DC work in the 1970s. 

Page 15, Panel 5

Orion is naturally enraged by Agogg attacking children in his search for Ames, and the two of them start brawling. Ames spots the smoke from the fight and realizes what is going on. He begs Lightray to take him to the hospital, which he reluctantly agrees to do. Once at the hospital, Ames agrees to surrender himself to Agogg. Orion and Lightray go in pursuit of the Apokoliptian monster. 

On Apokolips, Darkseid gives his standard offer: Give up the part of the Anti-Life Equation, or he will rip it out of him. Thinking fast, he asks Darkseid if he can have some paper to write it down. The big blue tyrant agrees, and goes to fetch some paper for him. When his back is turned, Ames yells at Agogg to get his hands off of him. Agogg is confused by this, but Ames yells that he told the monster the equation, and that he will tell Darkseid as well. He jumps off the building, yelling for Darkseid to help him. He makes it look like Agogg delibrately pushed him. 

Darkseid is naturally furious with this. He demands Agogg tell him the equation piece, but the monster naturally doesn't know. The tyrant doesn't believe him and vaporizes him with his Omega Beams. Orion and Lightray find Ames, and there's nothing they can do. Ames didn't survive the fall. There is still one thing the two New Gods can do. The two take his body and give him a burial in space. Lightray writes a headstone for him. Orion wonders why, as no one will read it. But that doesn't matter. As Lightray points out, it's just there to say something that needs to be said. 

Page 24, Panel 5

Ellis Ames did say he wanted to leave the world a little better than if he had never lived. In way, he did exactly that. He helped keep the universe free from Darkseid's tyranny.

I thought this was a very wonderful done-in-one story. I can imagine a story like this was sorely needed in 1991. If you don't get it, let me explain. The comic implies that Ames was gay, and that he had HIV. Keep in mind, this was published in 1991. Because of the Comics Code at the time, Evanier could not outright say so, but it's pretty clear. The story also touches on some of the prejudices that people who suffered from the disease underwent at the time, mainly due to fears and a lack of knowledge of the virus. It shows that even people who are suffering from an illness can still contribute to society and are still human beings. Ellis Ames's story is a tragic one, but he's not any less of a hero. His sacrifice helped ensure the universe did not end up Darkseid's tyrannical boot.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2022 trade paperback New Gods Book Two: Advent of Darkness. Thanks for reading this blog entry!